Viral Vengeance
by L1701E
Summary: Chapter 30 up! The sequel to Black Ice is here! Next: The Return continues! The heroes continue the brawl, and some worry is brought up! R and R PLEASE! Suggestions needed badly!
1. Meet the New Freedom Force!

**Viral Vengeance**

**Author's Note: Hey there, folks! L1701E here! Well, this is it! The big sequel to "Black Ice"! Basically, the title says it all. Anyway, this sequel is set a year after "Gifts and Curses", so about nine years before "Passing the Torch". Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to me, todd fan, or Marvel Comics.**

Chapter 1: Meet the New Freedom Force!

**Bayville, about six years ago**

"_I'm…n-n-not dead…y-y-yet…" Virus scowled, or at least tried to. "You…c-c-can't…k-k-kill a god…"_

"_Even the reigns of gods have to end some time." Bobby Drake growled. He used a wave to throw Virus into the power core in the room. He then threw a couple ice blasts, pinning Virus to a wall. "But I'm going to make sure yours never begins." He walked towards Virus, forming a long spike made of ice. It didn't take a genius to figure out what he was trying to do._

"_You fool…" Virus snarled. "You do what I think you plan to do…you'll destroy this entire complex!"_

"_Good." Bobby nodded. Virus chuckled weakly._

"_Th-th-they say you-you-you're a monster. Heh." The English mutant smirked, as his body started to repair itself. "C-can't blame them. Y-you think th-th-they'll forgive you…heh. Th-th-they never w-w-will." Bobby's scowl deepened. "Heh heh heh. You're g-g-gonna burn, Iceboy."_

"_At least I'll be taking a real monster with me!" Bobby yelled. With a cry, Bobby reared his arm back, and then plunged the spike right into Virus's heart, making him scream. The console exploded, engulfing Bobby and Virus._

**Los Angeles, present time**

Now in his early twenties, Bobby Drake was snoozing in a corner of what appeared to be a large room of a dojo. He was dressed in a black t-shirt and blue jeans. The veteran member of Freedom Force opened his ice blue eyes and turned his head. He saw a seventeen-year-old Asian girl staring at him sweetly, lying on her stomach and her hands under her chin. Her long purple hair was under her chin, and her dark eyes sparkled.

"Ugh…" Bobby groaned. "What do you want, Betsy?" Bobby grunted. Elisabeth "Betsy" Braddock was one of the younger members of Freedom Force. Over the years, the roster changed. Several older members left, and newer members stepped up. One of them was Betsy Braddock, codename Psylocke, who was from a rich family in England. She was a telepath who had the ability to create a 'psychic knife', a construct of mental energy that could then be used to stun or kill opponents. She also was trained in the martial arts. And, much to the dismay of the Iceman, she had a major crush on him.

"Nothing." Betsy answered sweetly, her voice showing her English heritage. Bobby sighed, getting up. The purple-haired girl got up alongside him.

"Huh huh, dude…" A surfer-accented voice chuckled. "Betsy so totally wants you, man." Bobby looked at the source of the voice, a blond kid, around eighteen. His blue eyes were hidden behind Oakleys, dressed in a loud Hawaiian shirt, sandals, and jean shorts. He had a leather band around each wrist. Betsy glared at the blond kid.

"Shut up, McCormick!" Betsy snapped. Jack McCormick, codenamed Beast King, was a surfer bum from Malibu, California. He had the mutant ability to transform himself into any member of the animal kingdom that he knew of.

"Hey, whoa whoa whoa…" Jack waved his hands. "Cool your jets, babe. I was just teasing, dudette."

"Yeah, Betsy." Bobby nodded. "He didn't mean anything." He looked at the two young recruits. "You two had anything to eat yet?"

"Nah, I just got up." Jack shrugged.

"Ugh…" Bobby sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, causing a puzzled Jack to respond with a "What?" "Alright, come on." Bobby waved as he left the room. Betsy quickly ran up to him and linked her arm with Bobby's, putting her head on his shoulder.

"Oh, God…" Bobby groaned. The three mutants walked into the kitchen, where the rest of Freedom Force were eating breakfast. Bobby still couldn't believe how much the team had changed. Some of the stalwarts still remained, but some had left the team and went on to other things, and the gang had gotten new recruits.

"Hey, Bobby!" Ace Starr, the feral mutant called Wildstar, grinned happily, waving at the ice-maker as he looked up from his bacon. "Oh, you better get Betsy off your arm, man. You know ol' Lila's gonna flip." Ace hadn't changed a lot since his teenage years. Even though he was working on his dream of rock stardom, Ace was still a member of Freedom Force, and helped out when he could.

"Oh, shut up, Ace." Lila Cheney, the interstellar teleporter codenamed Starway, mockingly jeered, lightly punching the feral's arm. Bobby couldn't help but smile at his girlfriend. She had gotten more beautiful over the years. She tied her black feathered hair into a ponytail. Like Ace, she was working on her own dream of musical stardom.

"You wound me, babe." Ace chuckled. Bobby, Jack, and Betsy took seats at the table.

"About time you joined us for breakfast, Drake." Shan Coy, the Vietnamese mind-controller codenamed Karma, chuckled as she took some more bacon from the center of the table. She had her long dark hair trimmed to shoulder-length.

"Morning, babe." Lila grinned at her ice-making boyfriend, kissing his cheek. Betsy scowled jealously at that action.

"Betsy, why do you bother trying?" A redheaded kid, around 16, grumbled at the telepath. He was dressed in black sweatpants, and a gray Navy t-shirt. Betsy grunted.

"Sod off, Collins." Betsy grumbled. She was talking to Rusty Collins, codenamed Firefist. A pyrokinetic, Collins was a Navy brat. He joined Freedom Force because it was either that or serve jail time. He wasn't a fan of the team, and he displayed a temper at times.

"Eat me, you rich-" Rusty started to snap, but a voice interrupted him.

"Hey hey hey, jabroni! Calm down, huh?" The Boston-born Kyle Wildfire, the electrokinetic mutant called Thunderbolt, calmed as he put a hand on Rusty's shoulder. Kyle and Rusty had formed a kinship of sorts, considering they were both known for their tempers. "And they say that the Thunderbolt has a bad temper." The last thing Freedom Force needed was yet another food fight at the table.

"Yes, Rusty." A blonde girl, around 16, smiled at Rusty, dressed in a blue t-shirt and jeans. Her name was Sally Blevins, but she was codenamed Skids for her mutant power to create slick frictionless forcefields around herself and others. "There's no need for you to lose your temper here." Rusty looked at Sally for a minute, and then sighed.

"Fine." The redheaded young mutant grumbled, crossing his arms. Bobby smirked.

"Reminds me of when I first started dating Lila." The ice-maker chuckled. "God, I can't believe it's been this long."

"About five years in a couple months." Lila reminded. "I hope you got me something nice."

"Now since when did you care about pretty things?" Bobby teased. Lila rolled her eyes. Gina Tolensky, the now 19-year-old plant-controller called Botanica, walked in, looking at some mail. Her long dark hair was in a high ponytail, her ears were decorated by large silver hoop earrings. She was dressed in a green shirt with a blue button-down shirt over it, and blue jeans. Her wrists were decorated by several silver bracelets each.

"Hey babe." Kyle greeted. Gina waved, not even looking up.

"Bill…bill…bill…" She walked by, mumbling.

"Ah, throw 'em away!" Terrell Mason, the speedster and aerokinetic codenamed Velocity teased. "Yeah, you know, I miss Thunderbird, Sunfire, and Rictor. I really do."

"Ah come on, jabroni!" Kyle groaned. "They're not dead. Proudstar's Army now."

"I heard he got in trouble again." Lila chuckled. "_This_ close to getting his Apache butt dishonorably discharged."

"What'd he do this time?" Ace rolled his eyes.

"Probably got into _another_ fight." Kyle quipped.

"Not much different from you, dear." Gina mumbled, still looking through the mail. "What was that about Sunfire?"

"I was just sayin'." Terrell responded. "I miss those guys."

"Well, Shiro preferred to stay in Japan for now." Gina explained. "It's not as if the man quit."

"Indeed." Shan nodded. "And Rictor went beck to Mexico to deal with some personal matters. He never told me what."

"Rictor never liked to talk about his past, Shan. You know that." Bobby reminded. "And they said if we ever needed them, they'd help out."

"Yeah, but I miss hanging out with those guys." Terrell nodded. "Sure, they visit and all, but it's not the same."

"At least you get to see them." Sally admitted.

"Dude, like, Thunderbird should've _totally_ gone Navy, for shure." Jack chuckled. "Like, my older cousin is a SEAL."

"Appropriate." Kyle quipped. "He's a SEAL, and you can turn into a seal." The mutants laughed at the joke.

"Whoopee." Rusty grumbled. "When are we gonna see action? I haven't seen much in a while. Not since we took down that psychopathic living reactor in Chicago a couple weeks back."

"I, for one, am glad from the work. Sometimes, I can't help but wonder if I'll be able to do anything outside this team." Terrell admitted.

"We all do." Shan sighed.

"Yeah, that waitress you met down at that coffee shop certainly would appreciate it." Ace chuckled. Terrell let out a smirk with pride.

"Mm-hmm." Shan smiled. Bobby let out a little smile at that. Shan had dated one of his former X-Men teammates and friends for a while: Tabitha Smith, codename Boom-Boom. The two had gotten along rather well, despite Tabby's wild-child attitude contrasting with Shan's quieter nature. **(1)** However, Tabby broke it off when she discovered that she was pregnant, even though Shan was willing to help care for the child. The mind-controller was devastated, even though she tried to keep it hidden. Bobby had his own run-in with the father of Tabby's child, which did not turn out well for him. **(2)** However, Terrell came to the rescue. A few months back, the speedster introduced her to a waitress he knew at a coffee shop he got drinks from on occasion. The two hit it off right away, and they had been seeing each other ever since.

"I got a performance tonight down at the club." Ace announced with a grin.

"Hey, can we come?" Jack grinned, referring to himself and the other new recruits.

"No, you guys have to train with me tonight." Lila told the animorph.

"Awww…" The kids groaned.

"No fair." Betsy grumbled. "We _never_ get to have any bloody fun!"

"At least you had a choice, sister." Rusty grumbled. "It was either here or jail."

"At least here, you can go to the beach." Ace chuckled as he left. "And beaches mean beach bunnies!" He then stated singing as he left the room. "_Beach Baby, Beach Baby, there on the sand! From July to the end of September…_"

"Oh, brother." Rusty groaned. "Why'd I agree to this?"

"Because you're dumb?" Betsy offered.

"Shaddap." Rusty grumbled.

**_Next: Fun with the New Guys_** _Freedom Force's new recruits, Beast King, Psylocke, Firefist, and Skids, attempt to have fun at the mall, only to run into trouble. Meanwhile, Ace hangs out with an old friend._

**(1) - Tabitha dated Shan briefly in todd fan's "Gifts and Curses". Their relationship ended in that story when Tabby discovered she was pregnant by John Lopez/Washout. Tabby didn't want to burden Shan with a child, hence the breakup. **

**(2) – Bobby Drake had his own run-in with Washout in "Gifts and Curses". Poor John. He had no idea what he was in for.**


	2. Fun With the New Guys!

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "Oh boy." – Scott Bakula as Sam, Quantum Leap**

Chapter 2: Fun with The New Guys

**A mall in Los Angeles**

"Dude…I…I…I…" Jack McCormick grunted. He was grunting under the weight of a whole lot of shopping bags. "Dude…can't…breathe…"

"Hate…girls…really…hate…girls…" Rusty Collins grunted, being in the same predicament that Jack was in.

"Dude…I gotta transform…" Jack groaned. "As a gorilla, I can easily carry this stuff." Jack then activated his powers. Fur sprouted on his body as he changed into the powerful great ape. They passed by a man, who screamed.

"GORILLA! OH MY GOD!" He then leapt over the ledge.

"This…isn't helping much, dude." Jack grunted.

"You think?" Rusty tried to snap. "What the hell is it with women and shopping? Urgh!"

"Oi! Come on, you bloody slowpokes." Betsy Braddock demanded. "Can't you two hurry up? You'll get lost! And we still have a lot more stuff to get."

"Shouldn't we help them?" Sally asked concernedly, looking at Jack and Rusty, whose faces had turned red with exhaustion, and their brows showed they were sweating bullets. "I don't think that they can handle the load of shopping." Betsy chuckled.

"Sally, me dear, don't worry. They're men. That's their job. It would be rather ungentlemanly of them to have _us_ carry all that shopping."

"DO I LOOK LIKE A DAMN GENTLEMAN TO YOU?" Rusty snapped angrily.

"Uh, Bets…" Jack piped up. "Maybe you, like, you know…like…you know…like, not buy so much stuff?"

"Excuse me?" Betsy blinked. "My dear Jack, I happen to be a member of a rich and influential British family. I have a lot of money, and a lot of stuff I need." Jack blinked.

"Really?" The surfer bum blinked. "I thought like, you British dudes liked tea and crumpets and that kind of thing." Betsy looked at the blond teen with a deadpan expression.

"I'm going to ignore that last statement you made, on account of the fact that you have no idea what you are talking about." Betsy told Jack simply.

"Uh…okay…" Jack blinked.

"That's it!" Rusty growled, dropping his bags.

"Oi! Watch it!" Betsy exclaimed. "I hope you didn't ruin me shoes!"

"Screw this! I'm going to the arcade!" Rusty grumbled.

"Dude, like, don't leave me here!" Jack exclaimed.

"Come on, you twit!" Rusty snapped. He then walked away, grumbling.

"I'll go, like, calm him down." Jack sighed, putting down his bags gently, changing back into his human form, and running after him. Betsy groaned.

"That's just bloody great!" Betsy groaned.

"Oh, dear…" Sally sighed.

**The arcade**

"Come on…come on…" Rusty moved a joystick and pressed a button frantically. The game machine started to play a triumphant music, and the red-haired mutant grinned. "Yes! Whoo-hoo! Yeah!"

"Hey, dude! I've, like, looked all over for you." Jack walked in. Rusty sighed.

"Let me guess, it's about my little freak-out back there, huh?" Jack nodded at Rusty's assumption.

"Yeah, dude. That's it." Jack nodded. "You alright?" Rusty nodded.

"Yeah, it's just…" He sighed. "It's just sometimes…that rich pain in the neck Braddock…she just drives me nuts sometimes, you know?"

"Yeah." Jack nodded sympathetically. "I totally get it. I'm not as slow as some people totally think." Jack and Rusty had developed a kind of bond during their time together in Freedom Force. Jack's laid-back nature had complimented Rusty's temper well. "Hey dude, I look at it this way, man. Betsy is used to total privilege and all. She may still need time to adjust to being here." Rusty was about to make a smarmy remark, when…

"Hey!" A voice demanded in the boys' direction. Rusty and Jack turned around and noticed a couple of jocks from the local high school sneering at them.

"Hey!" The first one called, wearing a letterman jacket.

"Aren't you two of those Freedom Force freaks?" The second jock, dressed in a leather jacket, sneered.

"What's it to you two retards?" Rusty scowled, crossing his arms.

"Come on, dude. Let's just like, ignore him." Jack groaned.

"I saw you once on the TV." Letterman Jacket told Rusty.

"A lot of people see Freedom Force on TV." Rusty countered. "What? You want an autograph?"

"You guys deal with superpowers and stuff. I bet you guys couldn't win a fight without them." Leather Jacket scoffed. Rusty laughed.

"Pal, my old man is in the Navy. Put two and two together." Rusty answered.

"Dude, let's just leave. They're total idiots, for sure." Jack sighed.

"Yeah, you should listen to the Valley Girl over there." Leather Jacket smirked.

"Oh yeah, Valley Girl. That's _totally_ original, dude." Jack rolled his eyes. "Like, don't you total dweebazoids have something better to do with your time?"

"Yeah." Letterman Jacket hit his palm with his fist, smirking. "Showing everyone that you so-called 'superheroes' are nothin' but punks."

**The Food Court**

Betsy and a worried Sally sat in the Food Court nearby the arcade, enjoying some sodas.

"Don't you think that you were a little hard on Rusty and Jack?" Sally asked Betsy. "I mean, they weren't exactly thrilled with you using them as pack mules."

"Ah, you Yanks have no concept of chivalry." Betsy chuckled.

"Well, we Americans have tried not to be like the English in every single way for over two hundred years." Sally smiled. Betsy shrugged.

"I guess so." The purple-haired telepath said. She then sighed.

"Let me guess." Sally smirked knowingly. "It's Mr. Drake, isn't it?"

"Yeah…" Betsy sighed. "What does he see in Miss Cheney? I mean, I'm rich, I'm beautiful, I'm smart, and I like a good fight."

"Miss Cheney told me about when Mr. Drake first joined Freedom Force." Skids remembered. "She said it was a very…bad time for him. She said he had a lot of issues when he first joined up." **(1)**

"Huh." Betsy nodded. "Emotional troubles. I have heard that Starway is a sucker for those types."

"She's had it rough herself." Sally explained, sipping her soda. "She sympathized with him."

"Uh-huh." Betsy nodded. "I'm sure." She then picked up something telepathically. "Uh…" She put her hand to her head.

"Betsy, are you alright?" Sally wondered. Betsy nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just picked up Rusty and Jack-" She was interrupted by sounds of a fight coming from the arcade. "Oh, bloody…"

"Oh, no…" Skids moaned as she and Betsy got up. The two mutant girls ran into the arcade and saw, amidst a crowd of hooting arcade-goers, Rusty and Jack getting into a fight with Letterman Jacket and Leather Jacket.

"Yah!" Rusty ducked a hook from Letterman Jacket and nailed him with an uppercut. It caused Letterman Jacket to stumble into a game machine. "Yeah! How you like that, punk? I told you never pick on a Navy brat!"

"Whoa!" Jack ducked a jab from Leather Jacket. He then grabbed the outstretched arm of Leather Jacket and flipped him over onto the floor in a judo-style throw. "Dude, I may not enjoy beating dudes to a total pulp, but I can so take care of myself, man."

"Alright, you two." Betsy grabbed Rusty and Jack. "You guys are gonna be in big trouble!"

"Are you alright?" Sally asked with concern.

"We're okay, dudette." Jack reassured with a smile.

"Yeah, but they ain't." Rusty smirked, pointing at a wincing Letterman Jacket helping up Leather Jacket.

"Awww, look…" Letterman Jacket smirked. "They're hiding behind their girlfriends, heh heh." Betsy narrowed her eyes at the two. She walked up to them.

"**_HI-YA!_**"

_**WHAM!**_

The purple-haired telepath nailed them both upside the head with one roundhouse kick.

"Ouch." Jack winced.

"Come, Robin! To the Batcave!" Letterman Jacket mumbled before falling down to the ground facefirst.

"Holy Krispy Kreme, Batman!" Leather Jacket mumbled before joining his companion.

**A club in Los Angeles, that night**

"…_We're gonna rock toniiiiiiiiight! Tonight!"_ Ace Starr wailed into the microphone as the band finished playing the song. The lion-like member of Freedom Force was performing in a club in his native Los Angeles. The clubgoers cheered in delight, in awe of Ace's singing and guitar talent. Ace Starr was clad in his stage clothes…which weren't so different from his regular clothes. The laughing feral jumped off the stage, and he got lots of claps on the back and compliments.

"You ruled, Ace!"

"Another great show!"

"I love you, Ace!"

"Marry me!"

"You're the greatest!"

"Thank you, thank you!" The feral smiled and bowed. He noticed a guy sitting at a table, smiling at Ace, clapping. His blond hair was cut short in a crew cut. He was a rather large fellow, yet powerful. He was Fred Dukes, aka the Blob. With super strength, invulnerability, and the ability to increase his personal gravity, making him immovable, Fred served in the Brotherhood, who were also the east coast-based Freedom Force team. **(2) **Fred and Ace had become good friends over the past year, starting when Ace helped Fred during his time of mourning. **(3)** Fred always came to see Ace's shows, because he became a fan of Ace's unique style, which the feral called "Heavy Metal-meets-R and B". "Hey, Freddo my man! Ha ha!" Ace ran up to the table and high-fived the large man.

"Hey, Ace." Fred smiled. "How you been? Great show."

"Thanks. Glad you came." Ace grinned, always happy to see a friend. A waitress, a curvaceous dark-haired woman, walked up to the table.

"Hey, Mr. Dukes. Ace." She greeted. "Your usuals, right?"

"Thank you." Fred nodded.

"Right." She nodded. "Ace, we're on for tomorrow night, right?"

"Oh yeah." Ace grinned. "See you then, babe. Wear something nice."

"Oh, I will." The waitress winked as she went to get their order. Fred chuckled.

"I see you've had no trouble in the love department lately." The blond powerhouse snickered. Ace shrugged.

"Ah, well. What can I do? Chicks love ferals." Ace chuckled. "How have you been doing?"

"Meh, I've been doing alright." Fred shrugged. He then sighed. "Wow."

"Wow, what?" Ace blinked.

"Well, it's been over a year since…Rosey." Fred sighed.

"Yeah, I know." Ace nodded sadly. "You doing alright?"

"Yeah." Fred nodded. "Thanks for helping me out through it, man. You know, I'd still be a mess if it weren't for you."

"I figured you needed a friend, Freddy." Ace grinned. "I know you would've normally gone to your friend Todd, but you know, married life and all."

"Yup." Fred nodded. The waitress arrived with their drinks, and the guys thanked her. She gave Ace a wink, which the feral responded with in kind, and she sauntered off. "You know, it doesn't really hurt much anymore…I mean, I do miss Rosey, but I just remember something that you told me a while back." Fred smiled. "That she's still in my heart. And I don't feel bad anymore." **(4)**

"Exactly." Ace smiled. "So…you seeing anyone?"

"Nah." Fred shook his head. "I haven't really thought much about it. I've been concentrating more on missions and stuff." He sipped his beer. "I've also been doing an editorial in the local paper every so often. You know, a chance to express my opinions on things. I've gotten a lot of positive reviews."

"Oh, that's cool." Ace grinned.

"Yeah. I get a lot of fan mail. One person once called me 'the most insightful columnist he's ever read'."

"Well, I'm glad you found a hobby." Ace nodded.

"How's things been going for you?"

"Well, not bad, to be honest." Ace chuckled. "I'm playing at clubs whenever they need me, and I impressed a couple local executives. I'm working on songs for my first album."

"Sweet." Fred grinned. "Looks like you're getting along well."

"Yeah." Ace nodded. "You should've been at our last mission. We fought a living nuclear reactor."

"Wow." Fred nodded.

"Yup." Ace nodded. "We nearly had the sequel to 'The China Syndrome' on our hands."

"Ay-yi-yi." Fred winced, sipping his beer.

"Mm-hmm." Ace nodded. "I guess crazy things just keep happening when you're in Freedom Force."

"Amen." Fred grinned. "You know, I'm glad Fury recruited me. Despite all the ups and downs, at least I know my life won't be boring."

**_Next: Gone Out_** _While Bobby and Lila go out on a date, something strange happens in California…_

**(1) – Bobby "Iceman" Drake first joined Freedom Force in "Black Ice"**

**(2) – In "Gifts and Curses" by todd fan, Nick Fury recruited the Brotherhood as the east coast-based counterpart of Freedom Force.**

**(3) – In "Gifts and Curses", Fred's girlfriend Rosemary died after she was captured by Spyder and fed to Magus.**

**(4) – In "Out Drinkin'", Ace told Fred that little nugget of wisdom.**


	3. Going Out!

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "Yes!" – Marv Albert**

Chapter 3: Going Out!

**Freedom Force HQ**

Bobby Drake, the ice-making and water-controlling mutant codenamed Iceman, stood in front of the mirror and smoothed out his clothes. The mutant hero was standing in the suite he shared with Lila. He was dressed in a black shirt with a dark blue jacket and slacks. His black shoes were nice and polished, and his long brown hair was pulled into a neat ponytail. He ran his hand over his clean-shaven face. Recently, the ice-maker had decided to get rid of his beard and mustache.

_Hunh._ The ice-maker thought to himself. _Been a long time since my face was like this._ He then remembered why he started to grow out his hair and a beard. After the battle with Virus in Bayville around six years ago **(1)**, Bobby opted for a new look to signify the new life he was enjoying in Freedom Force. He decided to grow out his hair and grow out a beard. _Well, at least Shan will stop making jokes about me looking older than I really am, heh heh._ He smiled slightly.

"Hey." A voice piped up. Bobby turned around and his face displayed pleasant surprise. Lila Cheney, Bobby's long-time girlfriend and Freedom Force teammate, was standing in the middle of the room, smiling warmly. She was clad in a shimmering black one-shoulder dress that clung to her shapely form. Her long black hair, normally wild, was pulled into a neat ponytail. "How do I look?"

"Whatever happened to that rocker chick I ended up falling in love with?" Bobby teased, making Lila laugh. "But seriously, Lila. You look amazing, as you always do."

"You sure know how to compliment a woman." Lila smiled, kissing Bobby's cheek. "Hey…" She put a hand on Bobby's cheek, rubbing it. "You got rid of the facial hair."

"Yeah." Bobby shrugged. "I thought I'd get rid of it. I originally grew it to distance myself from the X-Men. But after all the craziness they went through in the past year or so, and finally getting a chance to repair some bridges with them, I thought I'd get rid of it." **(2)**

"You grew out your hair for the same reason." Lila remembered. "How come you haven't cut that off?"

"I looked good in it." Bobby answered. Lila chuckled.

"Figures." The interstellar teleporter grinned. "Where are we going to tonight?"

"Well…" Bobby remembered. "Ace told me about this great place in Beverly Hills where he grew up. It's a nice little restaurant."

"Ooh…" Lila grinned. "I'm excited already."

"Yeah." Bobby chuckled. "I know you're not into all that fancy stuff, but…"

"I can manage for one night. Don't worry about it." Lila reassured.

"Yeah, we might as well go." Bobby nodded. "Those reservations aren't gonna last all night."

"Yeah, let's go." Bobby smiled. He took Lila's hand in his and they left their room. They went down a hallway, where Ace noticed them as he passed by.

"Hey!" Ace grinned. "Looking good, you guys! Where are you headed?"

"We're going out on a date." Bobby answered.

"That's cool." Ace nodded. "You look great, Lila."

"Don't expect me to dress like this all the time, Wildstar." Lila crossed her arms, looking mock threatening. Ace laughed.

"Don't worry, babe." Ace reassured. "I know not to mess with you. I saw Fred again."

"How's he doing?" Bobby asked concernedly.

"He's fine." Ace smiled. "He's been going day-by-day. He does a column for the local paper on occasion. You know, I like the guy."

"Yeah." Lila nodded. "We know you've been there for him."

"Yeah, I appreciate it, man." Bobby thanked.

"Glad to help." Ace grinned. "Since ol' Toady was too busy playin' boyfriend to help out."

"Ah, what can you do?" Bobby shrugged.

"Yeah." Ace shrugged.

"Come on, Bobby." Lila tugged gently on the ice-maker's arm. "Those reservations aren't going to last all night long."

"Yeah, yeah." Bobby sighed. He and Lila passed through the Common Room, where they saw Freedom Force's new recruits lounging around. Rusty and Jack were sitting on the couch, playing video games. Betsy was on an armchair, reading a book. Sally was sitting on the floor, typing on a laptop. They looked up at the couple.

"Awwww…" Betsy sighed.

"You look great, Miss Cheney." Sally complimented with a smile. "This is the first time I've seen you in a dress."

"Thanks." Lila smiled.

"Whoa." Rusty's jaw dropped at the sight of Lila in a dress.

"Watch it, Collins." Bobby mock warned, putting his arm around Lila's waist. "She's mine."

"Oh, you…" Lila playfully punched Bobby's arm.

"Duuude…" Jack grinned. "You look great, guys! Heading out on a date?"

"Yeah, we are." Bobby nodded. "We're gonna go out and get ourselves something to eat."

"You look very handsome, Mr. Drake." Betsy smiled sadly. "It's not fair." She pouted. "You're so bloody handsome, and you're also taken."

"Don't worry, Betsy. I'll take care of him." Lila chuckled.

**A fancy restaurant in downtown Beverly Hills**

A dark blue car, a Toyota to be exact, pulled up in front of a fancy-looking restaurant. The car belonged to Bobby. Unlike Ace, who's vehicle was a Ferrari that reflected his flamboyant and flashy personality, Bobby preferred a regular car. He had emerged from the driver's side and helped Lila out.

"Thank you." Lila grinned as Bobby took her hand and helped her out of the car.

"Eh, no problem." Bobby smiled. "No problem at all." He and Lila looked up at the restaurant, a nice-looking place. "Wow…" He looked up in awe. "This is amazing. I've never really dined in places like this, to be honest with you. We usually dined at pizza places and McDonalds."

"I know." Lila smiled. "So why this place?"

"Well…" Bobby smiled. "I thought for once, we'd try somewhere more fancy. You know."

"Yeah." Lila smiled. "Shall we go in?"

"Might as well. I am hungry." Bobby nodded. He and Lila walked inside the restaurant.

**Some time later**

The two young mutants had found a table and had just ordered their meals. They were now waiting for it to arrive.

"Bobby…" Lila poked Bobby's shoulder. The ice-manipulator looked up from his glass of water, which he was staring at with a look of contemplation on his face. "Bobby?"

"Huh?"

"You were thinking about something." Lila deduced. "What were you thinking about."

"Just looking back." Bobby smiled. "Just thinking about how we first met, and the stuff we went through."

"Yeah…" Lila nodded. "Our first meeting wasn't exactly…on the best of terms."

"Yeah." Bobby nodded, frowning. He didn't like to think about that much. It was a bad time in his life. **(3)** "I can't believe I was so embittered, you know. Just seems like a bad memory now."

"Mm-hmm." Lila nodded. "Yeah, but that was long ago, Bobby." She put her hand on Bobby's, and held it gently. "You have grown and changed since then. Everyone has."

"Yeah." Bobby smiled. "Lila, I just feel so glad to have you in my life, you know?"

"I do." Lila smiled back. "You've been through a lot. But, a lot of good has come from it."

"It has." Bobby nodded. "If I hadn't had met Freedom Force, I never would've been able to get my life back together. Nor would I have ever met you."

"I know." Lila agreed. "I wonder when our food's arriving?"

"Who knows with these chefs?" Bobby shrugged.

**A warehouse in California**

A security guard walked around inside a warehouse, looking around very carefully. The warehouse was dimly lit, casting shadows left and right over crates that bore a logo of the letters H and E forming a hexagon. He had heard a noise from outside, and he was checking it out.

"Hmm…" The guard mumbled to himself, waving a flashlight. "Blasted place…this place gives me the willies at night." He heard a humming. "What the-?" He turned and saw a shadowed figure, ripping open a crate. It stuck its hand into the crate, and seemingly started vacuuming up the electronic components inside. "Huh?" He slowly approached the figure. "Hey…Hey! Who are you?" The figure turned its head, revealing electronic green glowing eyes. "What the-?" The figure leapt at the guard. "AAAAAH!"

**_Next: Investigation_** _The Blob and Wildstar are called in to investigate the warehouse attack, and Iceman starts to think about something very important…_

**(1) – In "Black Ice"**

**(2) – Bobby got to heal his old wounds with the X-Men in "Gifts and Curses".**

**(3) – Bobby and Lila first met in "Black Ice". **


	4. Investigation!

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "Mmm…forbidden donut…" – Homer Simpson, the Simpsons**

Chapter 4: Investigation

**Los Angeles**

The sun was shining, as it always was in the city of Los Angeles. On this day, it was business as usual. Street vendors were selling maps to the stars' homes, Hollywood execs were having their power brunches, and two heroes who called the city home were enjoying the day. Bobby Drake and Terrell Mason, the Freedom Force members respectively codenamed Iceman and Velocity, were walking down the street, talking. The two have been out to do some errands.

"We gotta pick up the dry cleaning." Terrell reminded, reading from a list.

"Yeah, I know." Bobby nodded. "Man, I bet those dry cleaning guys love us. We always give them plenty of business."

"Yeah, but we get a discount." Terrell grinned. "Being a superhero has its perks."

"I agree." Bobby nodded. The two boys passed by a jewelry store. Bobby immediately stopped.

"Oh, no…" Terrell groaned. He had seen this before. "Bobby, come on! Why do you keep staring at the jewelry there?" The young ice-maker walked up to the window display. "Always with this store. Every time he passes by this store, he looks at the window display." The speedster grumbled as he walked up to Bobby. "What're you looking at, man?"

"That." Bobby pointed at a ring, smiling. Terrell looked at the ring Bobby was pointing at. It was a beautiful golden ring, made for a woman. The ring was made of 14 karat gold, and in the center was a white sparkling diamond in a circular shape. To the left and right of the ring were two deep blue sparkling sapphires, also in a circular shape. Terrell whistled in an impressed manner at the sight of the ring.

"Damn, Bobby…that ring is nice." He then looked over at the ice-maker. "You gonna buy that ring?"

"Yup." Bobby smiled. "I think Lila would love it."

"For her birthday or something?" Terrell blinked.

"No…" Bobby answered. "I've been thinking about this for some time. You know, I've been through a lot in my life, and Lila and I have been together for so long…"

"Oh…" The speedster immediately understood what Bobby was talking about. "I see." He looked at the ring. "You really want to do that?"

"Yup." Bobby smiled. "I really do want to marry her one day. She's done a lot for me, and I love her a lot for it."

"I dunno, man…" Terrell shook his head. "You know, I know you would expect this from Ace, but I gotta tell you…I know you have been thinking a lot about doing this lately, but don't you think that it's a little…well…early to be thinking about doing this? I mean, you're still young, and you still have your whole life ahead of you and, um…"

"And if you were Ace, I would remind you that you don't have to worry as much because your healing factor is like Wolverine's. It'll keep you young for quite a long time." Bobby chuckled. "I really do want to do this, Terrell. I've thought long and hard about it. I asked a couple married S.H.I.E.L.D. agents about it."

"Alright, man." Terrell shrugged. "If you really want to propose to be engaged to her, that's what you want. I know she's gonna say yes. Are you finally gonna buy it this time? I know you've been saving up for it."

"Oh yeah." Bobby grinned. "I'm definitely buying it. Lila is going to love it."

**The Brotherhood House, Bayville**

The Brotherhood House was the home of the Brotherhood. Officially, they were known as Freedom Force East, a team of S.H.I.E.L.D.-recruited and trained mutants created to deal with superhuman threats. One of their members was Fred J. Dukes, codenamed Blob. A powerful mutant, Fred's girth indicated that he was a human tank: He was strong, he was tough, and he could increase the pull of gravity around him when still, making him immovable. But for now, Freddy was typing away on a laptop. In his spare time, he started writing columns and editorials for the local paper. Not to mention also occasionally provided his criticisms on local restaurants. He found it a fun way to pass his time, and he got a lot of praise for it. Not to mention he earned a little extra money. He was sitting on the couch, typing on a laptop.

"…And that's why I think that John's Buffet is the perfect place to go for that early morning breakfast fix. Happy Dining, from Fred Dukes." Fred mumbled to himself as he typed on the keyboard of a laptop. He then looked over his new editorial, and smiled. "Okay, now all I have to do is send this in, and I'm done for the day." A ringing was heard. The large mutant's head perked up. "I got it!" He put the laptop aside, careful to make sure it couldn't fall, and then walked into the kitchen. He walked up to the white wall-mounted phone.

"Hey, Freddo!" Ace's voice greeted. Fred smiled.

"Hey, Ace!" Fred grinned. "What's up?"

"Nothing much. You doing anything?" Ace asked.

"No, I just put up my latest column." Fred answered. "What's going on?"

"Well, something strange went down in LA, and I was asked by S.H.I.E.L.D. to investigate." Ace explained simply.

"Well, why call _me_, then?" Fred blinked in confusion. "Don't you have anyone on your side of the country to help?"

"Well, it's not that…" Ace admitted. "It's just that I thought you might like to see some action, considering you guys haven't gotten much on your side for the while."

"Yeah, you're right." Fred chuckled. "Things have been rather slow on the supervillain front over here. What do you have to do."

"Something weird happened over at some warehouse belonging to some electronics company." Ace remembered. "I figured you could use some action."

"Why is Freedom Force investigating?" Fred blinked.

"They say it may have involved superhuman activity." Ace replied. "Therefore, Freedom Force get to investigate."

"Well, I could use some way to break the tedium." Fred smiled. "But, how the heck will I get to LA?"

"Like you always do." Ace grinned. "Lila will bring you over. She's a teleporter, you know."

"Oh, duh." Fred realized.

**The warehouse, some time later**

The area around the warehouse was cordoned off by police tape. Members of LA's finest were standing around the warehouse, investigating and interviewing witnesses. A blue Ferrari pulled up to the crime scene. Ace Starr and Fred Dukes came out of the car and walked toward the crime scene.

"Hold it, fellas." A cop stopped them. "You can't go in there."

"It's alright." Fred pulled a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent badge from his jacket. "We're Freedom Force."

"Oh, right." The cop nodded. "Come on in." He let the two young mutants in.

"Why are we doing this?" Fred whispered. "Neither of us are detectives."

"It's a challenge." Ace shrugged. "Besides, we can call if we need help." A detective walked up to the two heroes.

"Who are you guys?" He inquired. Ace grinned and flashed his own badge.

"We're Freedom Force. I'm Wildstar, he's Blob."

"Hi." Fred waved. The detective nodded.

"Oh, right. You guys deal with superpowers." The detective nodded. He waved. "Follow me." The three walked up towards the body. The feral Wildstar winced.

"Ugh…_he_ ain't pretty no more."

"Yeesh." Fred winced at the sight of the deceased security guard.

"Yeah, I know." The detective sighed.

"What makes you think someone with superpowers was behind this?" Fred inquired.

"Uhm, Fred…I don't think a regular human could wrap a man's arm around his throat like that." Ace pointed at the corpse.

"Yup." The detective nodded. "This guard was patrolling the inside of the warehouse."

"I can't get a scent off the body." Ace shook his head. "Nothing. A lot of metal, but no real scent."

"Yeah, nobody saw anything." The detective sighed. "This case is a weird one, alright."

"Excuse me, excuse me…" A voice piped up. A blond man in his late 40s walked up to the three investigators.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Harsaw." The detective told the man.

"Hey, I heard of you." Ace pointed at the man. "You're William Harsaw."

"William Harsaw?" Fred blinked.

"Yeah." Ace nodded. "He owns Harsaw Electronics. They're one of the biggest companies in California. They make all sorts of stuff with microchips."

"This is the latest raid, Mr. Harsaw." The detective sighed. The blond man shook his head.

"I can't believe this. This has been the third raid in six months." Mr. Harsaw sighed. Fred and Ace watched the two talk.

"This has happened before?" Fred blinked.

"I guess so." Ace shrugged. "This sounds awfully familiar…" The feral mutant started scratching his chin. "But from where?"

"What do you mean?" A feminine voice wondered. Ace and Fred turned around and saw a beautiful woman standing behind them, around her early twenties. Her hair was long, blonde and wavy, her blue eyes covered by purple-framed cat's eye glasses. They only served to enhance her beauty. Her figure, which Ace really appreciated, was covered by a dark purple turtleneck sweater, purple leather pants, and a pair of white shoes.

"And you are…?" Ace pulled down his glasses. The woman smiled shyly.

"I'm…I'm Eileen Harsaw. My father owns the company."

**_Next: Nice to Meet You!_** _More insanity with Freedom Force's new recruits, and Ace and Fred get to know Eileen._


	5. Nice to Meet You!

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "Who are you?" – The exasperated boss on the Kellogg's Crunch commercial.**

Chapter 5: Nice to Meet You!

**A movie theatre in Los Angeles**

Rusty Collins, the hot-headed pyrokinetic Navy brat codenamed Firefist, sat in a seat at the theater, watching a movie.

"Heh." Rusty snickered as something funny happened on the screen. He noticed Betsy Braddock, the purple-haired English telepath called Psylocke, walking in quietly. With her were Sally Blevins, the blonde forcefield generator called Skids, and Jack McCormick, the blond animorph codenamed Beast King. The four new recruits of Freedom Force were hanging around in a movie theatre. They had decided to take a break. Between school, training, and the occasional mission, the young heroes decided they needed a break. Jack was carrying a big tray full of snacks.

"Sorry we're late, Rusty." Sally apologized sweetly.

"Meh. It's alright." Rusty shrugged. "The movie's only starting, anyway."

"Oh, like cool." Jack grinned. The other three new recruits took their seats. "I got the snacks, dudes and dudettes!"

"Gimme me candy bars!" Betsy mock demanded, taking her candy bars from Jack's tray. The four teens laughed at the movie.

"Oh, my!" Sally covered her mouth with her hand as she giggled. "This is so wrong, yet it's so funny."

"AW GOD! MAH ARM!" The character on the screen screamed.

"_Bwa-ha!_ That poor daft plonker!" Betsy laughed. "He has no bloody idea how to operate a forklift!"

"Dude, those things should totally come with instructions, for sure." Jack snickered.

"I'm with you there, Jack! Heh heh." Rusty guffawed. "Hey, Sal." He turned to Sally. "What do you think of…?" He noticed Sally's hand was on his. The two young mutants blushed and quickly pulled them away. Betsy noticed.

"You two are so bloody mad for each other." The purple-haired Asian girl snickered. Sally blushed and looked away.

"Ah, shaddap." Rusty grumbled, crossing his arms and sinking in his seat.

"At least he isn't crushing on someone who is totally taken." Jack teased Betsy with a grin. The British girl scowled.

"I don't think it's bloody fair." Betsy grumbled. "I meet the man of me dreams, and he's already taken. By some rocker chick, no less."

"At least they totally care about each other, Bets." Jack shrugged.

"Hey, shut up!" A theatergoer snapped at the four. "I'm trying to watch the movie!"

"We are trying to be quiet, you jerk." Rusty grumbled.

"Yeah." Betsy agreed. "Not our fault you got the hearing of a bat."

"I came here to watch a movie, not listen to a bunch of chatting kids." The theatergoer grumbled. _Arrogant little punks._ Betsy's telepathy picked that little comment up, making her scowl.

"Why that bloody arrogant little…" Betsy scowled, clenching her fist. "He called us little punks!"

"Whoa, dudette…" Jack grabbed her wrist gently, but firmly. "Not cool. He's a total punk, dudette." He then put on an evil smirk. "Don't get totally mad, like, get even." Rusty and Sally noticed Jack's evil smirk.

"Oh dear…" Sally moaned.

"Jack, what are you up to?" Rusty whispered. Jack pulled out a small plastic container, and made a 'hush' gesture, then pointed to the theatergoer, who was getting up. When he left, Jack opened the container and poured a clear liquid onto the seat. He then pulled out a brush and spread it on the seat. "Heh heh."

"What'd you do?" Betsy blinked. Jack tapped his temple. Betsy nodded and read his mind. She smirked and transmitted Jack's action.

"Heh." Rusty smirked.

"Oh, dear." Sally sighed. The man sat back down. After a few minutes, he felt hungry.

"Man, I need something to eat." He said. He tried to get up, but he found himself stuck in his seat. "What-?" The young Freedom Force members started to snicker. "Hey! I'm stuck! Help me!"

**A café in Los Angeles**

Ace Starr and Fred Dukes sat at a table in an outdoor café in Los Angeles, enjoying some coffee. With them was their guest, Eileen Harsaw.

"So, Miss Harsaw, tell us about yourself." Ace told the blonde with a smile.

"Ace, are you trying to flirt with her?" Fred sighed. "Come on. This is business, man."

"I've always believed that there is no problem with having a little fun on missions." The feral codenamed Wildstar smirked. The large mutant codenamed Blob shook his head with a sigh.

"I'm sorry about him, Miss Harsaw." Fred apologized. "Wildstar here has a bit of an eye for women."

"It-it-it's okay." Eileen smiled shyly. "And call me Eileen. That 'Miss Harsaw' stuff makes me feel like an old woman."

"Nah." Ace waved. "You're too beautiful, babe."

"Ace!" Fred snapped sharply.

"It's okay." The soft-spoken Eileen reassured. "I'm used to it. My dad always said that I had my mother's looks." She then looked down sadly.

"You alright?" Fred wondered.

"Mm-hmm." Eileen nodded. "It…it…it's just-just I think about my mother sometimes. She died when I was a kid. She had cancer."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Fred apologized.

"It's alright." Eileen smiled. "I've gotten over it." She then shuffled in her seat. "So, what'd you want to talk to me about?"

"Well…" Ace answered. "We were wondering if you knew anything about the warehouse raids. According to your pops, several of your company's electronics warehouses were raided."

"It's not _my_ company." Eileen shook her head. "Well, not yet anyway. My dad currently owns it. I help run it, though. I hope to inherit the company one day, and maybe pass it on to my own kids."

"What does your company do, exactly?" Fred wondered.

"Well, we produce electronic components, basically." Eileen answered. "We also produce various electronic gadgets for a variety of purposes." She smiled proudly. "We're working on some better prosthetics for amputees. That's one of our projects."

"Hmmm…" Fred thought. "Look, neither Ace nor I are exactly known for our detective skills."

"I could always deduce when a woman would like a date." Ace quipped with a grin. Eileen giggled.

"You're funny." The blonde giggled.

"Oh no…" Fred groaned.

"Relax and loosen up, Freddo." Ace chuckled, patting the large mutant's shoulder. "I'm just trying to relax the mood."

"Okay…" A waiter walked up to the three. He was carrying a tray with three cups of coffee on it. "Here's three more…" A buzzing was heard from the pocket of his apron. "What?" He put the tray down and picked up an electronic calculator. The calculator's display was showing random numbers and symbols, as well as random beeps and buzzes. "What in the name of-?" He banged on his calculator.

"Oh no…" Eileen muttered to herself, sinking in her seat. Ace and Fred shot each other a knowing look.

"Stupid thing…" The waiter muttered. "I'm sorry, I'll be right back." He walked back inside, muttering and hitting his calculator. Ace and Fred looked at Eileen.

"W-w-what?" The blonde woman blinked.

"You did that, didn't you?" Ace teased.

"What're you talking about?" Eileen blinked.

"You caused his calculator to go wacky." Fred told the blonde.

"No, I didn't." Eileen quickly countered.

"Yeah, you did." Ace shook his head with a smile. "When he started hitting that calculator, you started sinking in your seat, like you were embarrassed about something." Eileen sighed.

"It always happens when I am nervous." Eileen sighed. "When I'm nervous, and I'm around anything electronic, it starts to malfunction. It's been happening since I was around fifteen."

"So, you're like us, then." Fred deduced. "You're a mutant."

"I guess so. My dad knows about it." Eileen shrugged.

"How'd he…?" Ace blinked.

"Meh. He took it well." Eileen answered. "He kind of figured it out anyway. Obvious why. That, and the fact that one of our employees was a telekinetic. I stood nearby him, got spooked once, and he could use his powers until I calmed down."

"So you can cause electronics to screw up, and you can shut off superpowers." Ace nodded. "Pretty handy."

"My dad suggests that I may have some kind of electromagnetic-based ability. Would explain how I can mess up electronics. Microchips are especially vulnerable to high amounts of electromagnetism." Eileen explained. "Although I can't figure out the superpowers bit." She smiled. "Dad always said that I had my mother's looks and his brains."

"Wow." Fred blinked. "You're pretty lucky."

"Thanks." Eileen smiled shyly.

"Does your dad have any enemies? Anyone out to get him, or anything?" Ace wondered.

"I don't think so." Eileen blinked. "My Dad is well known for his philanthropy. I highly doubt that anyone would want to go after him."

"Maybe a disgruntled employee?" Fred offered. Eileen shrugged.

"Maybe." The blonde shrugged. "But I think a disgruntled employee would steal a lot more than just blank chips and transistors."

"So, the stuff stolen is…" Fred blinked.

"Basically, parts that can be bought at a Radio Shack." Eileen explained.

"Yeah, I don't get a lot of technological stuff." Fred told the blonde. "On a computer, all I can use is e-mail and the word processor."

"I heard you were some kind of genius, babe." Ace chuckled.

"Well…" Eileen blushed, rubbing the back of her head. "I always did have a knack for gadgets. I've been tinkering with stuff since I was old enough to pick up a screwdriver."

"Wow…" Fred whistled. Ace looked at the large mutant and smirked.

_Hmmm…_ The feral started thinking. However, his thoughts started wandering. _The theft of electronics…this sounds very familiar…Wait, that can't be right…He's dead. Nahhh!_

**_Next: Old Ghosts_** _Bobby Drake meets up with an old teammate from his X-Men days._


	6. Old Ghosts!

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "We don't want to torture you." – Stan Marsh, South Park**

Chapter 6: Old Ghosts

**A café in New York City**

Behind a café, two people appeared in a flash of light. They were the Freedom Force members Bobby Drake and Lila Cheney, codenamed Iceman and Starway. They had used Lila's teleportation powers to come to this location.

"Are you sure he's here?" Lila asked. Bobby nodded.

"I'm sure." The ice-maker nodded. "This is the café that is the closest to the college. If he wanted to go to one, he'd have to come here."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Lila asked. "You know how he feels about Freedom Force."

"Lila, nobody did this for me when I left the X-Men in an emotional state." Bobby reminded. "Okay, Xavier did." **(1)**

"Yeah, but he thought it would've been better for you to find your own path." Lila countered.

"I'm not trying to recruit him, Lila." Bobby chuckled. "I just want him to know that he's got someone to talk to if the chips are down." The two walked out to the café. They saw a brown-haired young man, around 19, sitting at a table, typing on a laptop. His name was Jamie Madrox, codenamed Multiple for his ability to make clones. Like Bobby, he was a former X-Man. After some problems, he quit the X-Men, and has been on his own ever since. **(2)** Feeling sympathetic, Bobby had made a point to keep an eye on the young man, hoping to help Jamie avoid making the same mistakes the ice-maker himself had. **(3)** The two approached the table.

"Hey, Jamie." Bobby greeted. Jamie looked up.

"Oh look, my guardian angel is back." The clone-maker grunted. "And he brought the teleporter with him."

"Nice to see you too, Jamie." Lila rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Lila and I just came to see how you were doing." Bobby told Jamie.

"I'm fine, okay?" Jamie grunted.

"I'll leave you two alone." Lila nodded. "Bobby, you need anything, you call me."

"No prob." Bobby nodded. Lila nodded and teleported away. Bobby took a seat across from Jamie.

"I said I was fine." Jamie grumbled. "Can't you two go away?"

"Jamie, you know why I come over here and talk to you every so often." Bobby reminded with a sigh. "I just wanna check on you. I worry about you, Jamie. When I saw you leaving the mansion, I thought about when I left."

"Yeah, but you left for different reasons." Jamie reminded back.

"I screwed up as well, remember?" Bobby sighed.

"Yeah, but you didn't get three people killed." Jamie sighed.

"I came _this close_ to getting a lot more than three people killed." Bobby remembered. "All because I was heartbroken." Jamie clenched a fist.

"Don't…go there, Drake. I don't like it when people go there." Jamie growled.

"Jamie, you're going to have to face your pain at some point. It's better to do it now than later." The ice-maker sighed.

"Oh, I'm sure you understand." Jamie grumbled.

"I do, man." Bobby nodded. "Look, I know what it's like to be heartbroken…"

"I loved Gina, Bobby." Jamie grunted. "It's not fair! I finally meet her again, after five years, and I find out that she had not only spent the past five years in Freedom Force, but she dumped me for some loudmouth idiot from Boston!"

"Jamie…" Bobby started.

"No." Jamie growled. "You were one of her teammates for half a decade, man. And you didn't even bother to _try_ and stop it! Why didn't you?" The ice-maker bowed his head shamefully.

"I couldn't." Bobby admitted. "She spent a lot of those years in Japan, Jamie. I didn't see her a whole lot. And also, during that time…" He looked up. "I was dealing with my own issues, Jamie. I was putting my life back together. Also, I was getting back my privileges to go on missions more. And besides, what right did I have to deny her a chance to be happy?"

"Even if it meant screwing me over?" Jamie grumbled. "I forgave you, Bobby. I was one of the first X-Men to forgive you for Sapphire Twilight. And you did this to me." He shook his head. "You are a piece of work. You never even bothered to contact me and tell me she was alright!"

"…I was ashamed. I didn't think you'd listen." Bobby admitted. "You had to admit, Jamie. During that time, the X-Men wouldn't have wanted me to be even _mentioned_ around them." Jamie opened his mouth to respond, but he stopped. Bobby had a point. During the years after Sapphire Twilight, a lot of the X-Men held it against the ice-maker. During that time, only he and Jean ever really forgave Bobby and hoped he was somewhere where he could be at peace.

"…You have a point." Jamie admitted. "You couldn't say. Well, why couldn't she, then?"

"…You'd have to ask Gina, Jamie. I don't have the answer." Bobby shook his head.

"I doubt she'd wanna see me." Jamie grimaced. "She probably thinks I'm a joke. She probably thinks I suck."

"No, she doesn't." Bobby told the clone-maker. "She's concerned about you. Think about it, Jamie. It had been five years. She probably thought you had moved on yourself. She had no idea you were waiting for her for all that time."

"I was so devoted to her, and the Thunderbolt was the thanks I got." Jamie scowled. "Tell me, did she even think about me _at all?_" Bobby shrugged.

"I dunno. I never really spoke with her." Bobby answered. "You'd have to talk to her to find that out."

"Figures." Jamie shook his head. The ice-maker decided to change the subject.

"…What're you typing?" Bobby pointed at the laptop. Jamie looked at it.

"Just a report." Jamie shrugged.

"Oh yeah." Bobby smiled. "How's college going? You know, you wanting to be a PI is rather appropriate. Back when we were X-Men, I remember you loved those old detective movies."

"Yeah yeah." Jamie waved it off.

"You really haven't made a lot of friends, have you?" Bobby noted. Jamie shrugged.

"Not really." Jamie shrugged. "What's the point?"

"Well, it would help if you hung out with people more." Bobby suggested. "Have you been thinking about…you know…seeing other people?"

"Oh yeah." Jamie nodded sarcastically. "I have, but then I realize, they'll say they care about me, and then dump me for the first Bostonian she sees."

"I highly doubt that." Bobby shook his head with a chuckle.

"Why not?" Jamie grunted. "It happened with a certain Italian wench."

"That 'Italian Wench' is worried about you, Jamie." Bobby pointed out.

"Oh yeah, she's worried." Jamie rolled his eyes. "I'm sure. She cares about me _sooo_ much."

"Well, it's been a while, Jamie. Maybe you should just let it go, huh?" Bobby suggested.

"You know, that Thunderbolt jackass said the same thing." Jamie snorted. "He just wanted to rub it in my face."

"I heard about that." Bobby nodded. "Yeah, Kyle can be harsh sometimes."

"He acted like _I_ was being the jerk!" Jamie grumbled. "_He_ steals the girl I love away from me, and _I'm_ the jerk?"

"I think what Kyle was trying to say is that both you and Gina screwed up." Bobby sighed. "You and Gina were both thirteen when she went out for revenge against the Hellfire Club. If she was able to go seek revenge, then as far as Kyle is concerned, you were able to go after her and try to stop her." Jamie crossed his arms.

"Still doesn't change anything." Jamie scowled.

"Look, Jamie…" Bobby sighed. "You did make some mistakes. You didn't try to contact her. Nor did you try to follow her. I know she told you not to, but you should've done it anyway. I'm not trying to be harsh, Jamie. I'm just telling you what you did wrong so it won't happen again next time."

"Next time?" Jamie blinked.

"If you ever meet someone new, Jamie." Bobby answered. "Haven't you seen any girls that make you think about asking them out?"

"…Not really." Jamie shrugged. "I don't ever want to get involved in that crap ever again."

"There's someone for everyone, Jamie. I should know." Bobby smiled.

"You got lucky, Drake." Jamie scowled.

"Maybe I did, but I had the same worries." Bobby sighed. "When I first realized I loved Lila, I was scared."

"You?" Jamie raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. A part of me was afraid of hurting Elizabeth. I still loved her a little, even though I had made peace with her." Bobby admitted. "In my head, I had accepted that she was with Lucas, but my heart still feared hurting her. Long story short, I managed to get the courage to tell her how I felt. And my fear of hurting Lizzie was unfounded. Turns out she was happy for me."

"Again Bobby, you got lucky." Jamie scowled. "Freakin' lucky. What'd I get? I turned out to be a crap boyfriend."

"It wasn't your fault, Jamie." Bobby shook his head. "It could be worse. Gina understood why you never tried to go after her. She could've held it against you."

"Wouldn't be surprised if she did." Jamie sighed.

"Well, she doesn't." Bobby told Jamie. "Look at it this way, man. I know that deep down, you want her to be happy. Well, she is. She's got no blood on her hands, and she's found happiness in her life. Kyle may seem like a jerk, but he's actually a good guy. He's devoted to her. He treats her great, and he genuinely loves her."

"You're just saying that because you guys are teammates."

"No, I'm saying that because I know Kyle. I've known him for a few years. Gina's in good hands." Bobby smiled. "And I'm sure that there's a woman out there for you, too. Who knows? It could be any woman. She probably could be blue or something. Who knows? You never know until you're going to try." Bobby shrugged. "Jamie, you have to get over this." Bobby sighed, shaking his head. "Look, it wasn't your fault. Things just happened."

"Yeah, right." Jamie sighed. "What girl would want a miserable failure like me? I can't even lead a team of mutantswithout causing a disaster." The clone-maker shook his head. "I can't stop thinking about them." Jamie sighed. "If it weren't for me, Theresa Rourke, Jono Starsmore, and Kevin Ford would still be alive."

"_You_ didn't kill them, Jamie." Bobby told the clone-maker. "_Sauron_ did." **(4)**

"Yeah, but I gave him the chance." Jamie sighed, saving his file and closing his laptop. "If they came back to life tomorrow, I'm sure the first thing they'd do is go after me for getting them killed."

"If I saw that, then I can definitely say I have seen it all." Bobby nodded with a chuckle.

"I'm not kidding, man!" Jamie snapped.

"I know, I know." Bobby chuckled. "I don't mean to make fun of you."

"Then _don't_." Jamie growled.

"I'm not. You need to relax, Jamie." Bobby shook his head. "You know, you got a lot of issues. You need to get them sorted out, man. Otherwise…those issues will take you over. Eat you up. I should know. I had to hit rock bottom to realize that. Don't learn it the hard way. Don't learn it like I did."

"Don't get me wrong, Bobby. I really appreciate this, but I don't need your help." Jamie sighed. "Give it up. Leave me alone, man. I know you wanna help me, but you can't. You don't what it's like, man. I can't afford people in my life anymore!" He put his laptop in his bag, got up, and walked away.

"Jamie!" Bobby got up. But the clone-maker wouldn't listen. He left the café. The ice-maker sighed.

_I'm not going to give up._ He resolved. _I'm not going to let what happened to me happen to him. He doesn't need that. He doesn't deserve that. Fate dealt him a bad hand, but he needs to see he can bounce back._

**_Next: Checking In_** _We check on the X-Men, and two mutants get to know each other._

**(1) – Bobby left the X-Men in todd fan's "To Err Is Human".**

**(2) – Jamie left the X-Men in todd fan's "Gifts and Curses".**

**(3) – See "Black Ice".**

**(4) – In "Gifts and Curses", Sauron rampaged, and it caused the deaths of Wither and Chamber of the X-Men and Siryn of Nightshift.**


	7. Checkin In!

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "Gentlemen, behold! The thermo…STAT!" – Dr. Weird, Aqua Teen Hunger Force**

Chapter 6: Checking In

**Freedom Force HQ, Los Angeles, CA**

Bobby Drake and Lila Cheney entered the HQ through the front door.

"Thanks, Lila." Bobby smiled slightly at his girlfriend. Lila chuckled.

"No problem, Bobby." Lila smiled back. Her face then fell. "I guess Jamie wasn't in a talking mood."

"He never is." Bobby sighed. "I'm worried about him, Lila."

"I know." Lila brushed some hair from the ice-maker's face. "Jamie leaving the X-Men hit you hard, huh?"

"Yeah." Bobby nodded. "It just reminded me of me. Sure, it's not the same, but it's close enough." He sighed. "I just don't want him to screw up like I did. I don't want him to go down the road I did."

"I'm sure he won't." Lila reassured. "I'm sure you'll be able to get through to him."

"He can get through this, Lila. He can bounce back." Bobby agreed. "I just hope he sees that before something bad happens."

"He will." Lila smiled, stroking Bobby's head. "He's got a good guy watching over him. I'm gonna get me something to eat. Where is everyone?"

"I dunno." Bobby shrugged. "Doing their own thing, I guess." Lila went into the kitchen, and Bobby went over to the garage, where he saw Kyle working on repairing a motorcycle he owned. "Hey, Kyle." The Freedom Force member codenamed Thunderbolt looked up and turned around.

"Hey there, Snow-Brain." Kyle got up and high-fived his friend.

"Working on your bike?" Bobby noticed. Kyle nodded.

"Yup." The brown-haired Bostonian smiled. "Yeah, the ol' bike's been sounding funny, so the Thunderbolt thought he'd see what's up." He sighed. "Haven't found it so far. Where you been, man?"

"Out." Bobby answered, leaning on a car. Kyle sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Lemme guess, you checked on that Madrox clown again, right?" Bobby shook his head at Kyle's deduction.

"Kyle, I highly doubt that Jamie'd appreciate being called that." Bobby told the electrokinetic. Kyle sneered and crossed his arms.

"Believe me, that jackass deserves it." Kyle sneered. "Bobby, I can't help but wonder, why do you bother with him?"

"He's had it rough." Bobby shrugged, arms still crossed. "I know what he's going through."

"Yeah, but still…" Kyle grunted. "That guy is a major jerk. I mean, Gina needed him, and he never even _bothered_ to try and help her. What kind of man is he?" Bobby shook his head. Jamie Madrox was never high on Kyle's Christmas card list.

"She told him not to go after her. Not his fault." Bobby explained.

"That's no excuse." Kyle growled. "She wasn't thinking straight! Her head wasn't quite all there! Yet he just let her go on her merry way anyway!"

"He was thirteen, Kyle." Bobby countered. "He didn't understand."

"_I_ was thirteen then too, pal!" Kyle groaned. "And _I_ could see she wasn't all there in the head! He _must've_ known what Gina was planning to do was wrong! He should've stopped her!"

"What could he have done, Kyle?" Bobby sighed.

"Gone after her for one!" Kyle grunted. "He could've followed her! Tried to make sure she didn't hurt anybody! But he didn't even _try!_ And he says he loved her!" Kyle scowled darkly. "Yeah, he loved her, alright. He loved her enough to let her nearly destroy her life!"

"I know it does seem that way, Kyle." Bobby shook his head. "But you have to-"

"I don't have to do squat!" Kyle grunted. "You know how the Thunderbolt feels about that whiny little pile of garbage!"

"I know, Kyle." Bobby sighed. "You think he's a deadbeat."

"You damn right he's a deadbeat!" Kyle snapped. "He doesn't deserve a girl like Gina. Unlike him, I was actually _willing_ to help her! She was going to do something incredibly stupid and throw her life away, and did he care? And when she and I get together, he has the gall to accuse _me_ of stealing her away?" Kyle laughed. "Hah! _I_ step up and help do what he should've done, and _I'm_ the jerk? Man, for a crybaby who won't grow up, he sure has a pair."

"Well, Kyle…" Bobby shook his head. "He did lose his parents during that time, and there was that whole disaster with Sauron…"

"Yeah…" Kyle shook his head sadly. "Weren't his fault. Even a deadbeat like him gets dealt a bad hand every so often. There was nothing he could've done about that stuff, so I never held that against him." He narrowed his eyes. "It's just that the one relationship that he did have left…he never bothered to try and save. Not to mention that he acts like he's 19 _months_ instead of 19 _years_ old." The electrokinetic grunted. "Why do you bother with him? He's never going to admit he screwed up. To do that, he'd have to grow up. And he seems more content to act like a big fat crybaby." Kyle went back to his work.

"Typical Kyle." Bobby chuckled, shaking his head. Even though it seemed it, Kyle really didn't hold any great hatred for Jamie Madrox. It was just in his mind, Jamie screwed himself over, and didn't want to admit it. "I'm gonna go see the X-Men."

**The Xavier Institute, a short time later**

"Knock knock." Bobby quipped to himself as he knocked on the door of the X-Men's infirmary. The door opened, revealing the blue-furred German demon-like X-Man Kurt Wagner, codenamed Nightcrawler. Like many of the X-Men, Kurt was one of Bobby's former teammates. He looked up at the ice-maker and smiled.

"Guten Tag, Bobby. It is good to see you again." He took Bobby's hand and shook it.

"Yeah, it sure is." Bobby smiled. "This place doesn't change much, does it?"

"No, just the people inside." Kurt chuckled. "You have come to see Danielle?"

"Yeah, I have." Bobby nodded. "How is she doing?"

"Still asleep, as she has been since that whole thing with Gosamyr." Kurt nodded. He led Bobby to the bed the Cheyenne mutant slept.

"You know, some believe you can still perceive some things in a coma." Bobby remarked. "Like when people talk to you and stuff. I wouldn't know. I've never been in one myself…but I did once fall asleep for three days straight." Kurt took a seat next to her. He smiled slightly as he brushed some hair out of her face. The ice-maker picked up a chair and took a seat next to Dani. "Hey Moonstar…just thought I'd tell you how things are going on the LA end. Ace is still a serial dater…Lila and I are still together…Shan's met some one new, but I told you about her…the other guys are going about their lives…"

"And zat Psylocke girl still has zat crush on you?" Kurt chuckled. Bobby shrugged.

"Yeah, poor ol' Bets." The ice-maker chuckled. "Ah, well. It's one of those teenage things. How are you doing? I've heard you've been in the dumps since that whole thing with Amanda and Limbo." Kurt nodded.

"Ja…but I have been doing alright." The blue-furred X-Man smiled. "You know, I have been helping Kitty watch over Danielle."

"Yeah, I heard." Bobby looked at the comatose mutant. "She's had an effect on you, man. You smile."

"Ja." Kurt nodded. "I dunno, it's just…taking care of her…it's just…" He shook his head. "Just…she makes me feel needed, you know? I just…I have a purpose again."

"Hope she wakes up soon, man." Bobby nodded.

"Me too." Kurt smiled. "But I'm patient. I can vait. I can vait for her to wake up if it takes a decade."

"If you say so." Bobby shrugged. "Hopefully she'll wake up sooner so I can get that champagne out of the fridge before it expires. How is everyone?"

"Vell, not much has changed, to be honest with you." Kurt answered. "Scott and Jean still teach. Forge and Storm are still married. Piotr and Rogue are trying to have a baby. Poor Piotr is jumped on him every month." He chuckled. "Imara is still evil and drags poor Toby along for the ride…"

"Afraid of a little girl, Kurt?" Bobby teased. Kurt just waved it off.

"We will hopefully get some new recruits soon." Kurt hoped. "Believe it or not, it's still just Paige and Josh."

"And I'm sure the insanity still will continue." Bobby chuckled. An explosion was heard, followed by Josh loudly apologizing.

"Oh, God…" Kurt shook his head. Bobby laughed.

"Oh, man. That's one of the reasons I miss this place."

"You can always rejoin." Kurt offered.

"Nah." Bobby waved it off. "I'm too much of a Freedom Force guy. Besides, we have our share of insanity, too. What with Betsy crushing on me, Rusty's temper, Jack's pranks, and Skids being Skids, we get some wacky stuff."

"Mm." Kurt nodded. "Any current missions?"

"Not me…" Bobby shook his head. "Although I have heard Ace and Fred are looking into something. Not too major, just some thefts. I'm sure they'll be able to handle it."

**Los Angeles, CA**

Ace had left the table to do some reporting in, as was required in missions. This action left Fred and Eileen alone at the table. The two mutants didn't seem to mind.

"Are you sure Ace'll be back?" Eileen asked. Fred nodded.

"Yeah, he'll be fine. He can take care of himself." The large man shrugged. "That is…unless he ran into a pretty woman." Fred sighed and shook his head. "That Wildstar…when it comes to women, he has a one-track mind. It's almost _instinct_ with him."

"Sounds like it annoys you." Eileen chuckled.

"Well, I've known Ace for a while." Fred nodded. "He and I became friends after my girlfriend died." **(1)**

"Oh, I'm sorry." Eileen patted Fred's shoulder sympathetically. "I had no idea. How did she…?"

"Well, it's…hard to explain." Fred sighed. "I met Ace shortly after she died. He and I became friends and we hung out a lot. He helped me get through the grief."

"Sounds like he's a great guy." Eileen smiled.

"Yeah." Fred chuckled. "He's a good guy. Despite his overly laid-back attitude, and his tendency to flirt with every pretty woman he sees, he's a good guy. He helped me get over her." He sighed sadly.

"Is something wrong?" Eileen blinked.

"Well…" Fred sighed. "Sometimes…I can't help but feel down."

"Why?" Eileen wondered. Fred looked at a couple sitting at a nearby table.

"Well, it's obvious." Fred explained. "I don't exactly look like Brad Pitt. She was the only girl I had ever known who managed to look past my appearance. She was one in a million." Eileen looked at Fred sadly. She really felt bad for him.

"Yeah." She nodded. "I understand. Sometimes my powers drive me nuts, too. I like to work with gadgets, and I use computers a lot, so if my powers flare up, it screws them up."

"Yeah, but at least your powers don't make you a fat blob." Fred sighed. "Not like any girl would ever want to go out with someone who looks like me." Eileen shook her head.

"I doubt it." Eileen smiled at Fred. "I don't see why any girl wouldn't want to date you. You're a nice guy. And besides, my dad once told me that if someone only cares about how you look, then they don't deserve you."

"Yeah, I guess…I guess you're right." Fred smiled. "I guess you're right."

**_Next: Training Troubles_** _We look in on a Freedom Force training session!_

**(1) – See "Gifts and Curses" by todd fan**


	8. Training Troubles

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "That's game, Hendrix!" – Benjamin Franklin, the Simpsons**

Chapter 8: Training Troubles

**Freedom Force HQ, Los Angeles, California**

Shan Coy Manh, the mind-controlling Vietnamese mutant mind-controller codenamed Karma, stood in a battle position, her staff held behind her. Her dark eyes blazed with intensity.

"Alright, Freedom Force…" Shan took a quick look around at the team with her. Betsy's right fist was covered with the pink aura of her psychic knife. Her costume was basically a dark blue one-piece swimsuit with matching boots and long fingerless gloves, completed by a dark red sash across her waist. Her long purple hair was in its usual braid. Jack was clad in a black costume that left his arms bare. His costume had neon green and white highlights and matching boots and wristbands. Rusty wore a red costume with yellow around the collar and arms. Sally was clad in a blue costume with a large yellow stripe going down the middle.

Also with them were Thunderbolt and Botanica, clad in their regular costumes, albeit sized appropriately for them. Gina's green costume, however, had on a sash across her chest. The sash held a scabbard across her back. In the scabbard was a katana, given to her by her friend, trainer, and 'brother' Shiro Yashida, the Japanese plasma generator codenamed Sunfire. He served on the reserve team, deciding to stay in his native Japan and help deal with superhuman threats there.

"You gonna be fine, babe?" Kyle whispered to Gina. The Italian-American plant-controller smirked at her electricity-wielding boyfriend.

"Don't worry, Sparky." Gina smirked, unsheating her katana. It gleamed in the light. The katana had a green hilt and had a design of a green vine running up the center of the blade. "You just make sure I don't have to watch your back."

"Keep talkin', babe. Keep talkin'." Kyle mock challenged.

"…Let's do this!" Karma ordered loudly. The young heroes charged into action. They were practicing. Freedom Force was practicing in a training area that they affectionately referred to as their 'Playroom'.

"Yeow!" Jack exclaimed as he fled from a flock of missiles in the form of an eagle. "Dude! Not cool! Not cool! Bogus, man! Totally bogus, man!"

"Shut up and fight, Jack!" Rusty snapped as he torched a silvery robot with a stream of flame. He then whipped around and blasted the missiles with another stream of flame, causing them to explode.

"Thanks, pal!" Jack nodded. He noticed a robot with tentacles for arms sneaking up behind the pyrokinetic. "Dude, like, look out!" Rusty turned around and noticed the robot. But before he could do anything, a diving Jack morphed in midair into a charging rhino. The rhino slammed into the robot before it could get its tentacles near the redhaired young mutant. "You okay, dude?"

"Yeah, I'm fine!" Rusty barked, firing more flames at a couple razor-sharp discs.

"Watch each other's backs, jabronis!" Kyle barked as he dodged a barrage of razor sharp discs. He scowled at the discs. "These little things are _really_ starting to hack me off!" He formed a net from electricity. He used the net to catch the discs and throw them right at the wall-mounted launcher, severely damaging it.

"You depend too much on your powers, Kyle!" Gina teased as she used her katana to slice up a piledriver.

"Gina, these things are made of metal." Kyle rolled his eyes. "I highly doubt that I can beat up these guys with my bare hands." The Bostonian dodged laser fire and fired back at it with a javelin made of lightning.

"Ha ha!" Betsy crowed as she slashed a buzzsaw in half with her psychic knife. "This is bloody great! Now _this_ is the reason I agreed to join Freedom Force!"

"Easy for you to say, Bets." Sally sighed. "You can use your powers offensively. All I can do is stand around and create barriers." She stood her ground as a laser cannon tried to blast her. It wasn't able to harm her because she had a forcefield up. Betsy used her psychic knife to slash the cannon, shutting it down. "Thanks, Bets!"

"Yeah, sure." Betsy shrugged. Sally noticed a robotic vehicle race towards Betsy.

"Betsy! Watch out!" Sally exclaimed. Betsy turned around.

"What the bloody-?" Betsy blinked. As quick as lightning, Sally jumped on her stomach, using her powers to slide towards Betsy. "Hey!" The purple-haired telepath back-flipped out of Sally's way, allowing the blonde to get to her feet and throw up a large forcefield. The vehicle tried to blast the two girls, but it couldn't get through Sally's forcefield. Kyle blasted the vehicle with a bolt of lightning, shutting it down.

"Nice one!" Kyle grinned.

"Bloody good work, Sally." Betsy smirked, clapping her hands. "You earned that nickname of Skids, alright." Sally smiled.

"No time for slowing down to chat, folks!" Shan called out as she batted away a few razor discs with her staff. "We still got this training session to finish!" Meanwhile, up in a control deck, a couple of the older members of the team were watching them.

"Heh heh, it's fun putting the young 'uns through the paces…" Ace Starr, the feral rock-loving mutant codenamed Wildstar, smiled as he leaned back on his chair, hands behind his head. He crossed his legs and put them up on the control panel.

"Ace, get your feet off the control panel, man." Terrell Mason, the Compton-born speedster and aerokinetic codenamed Velocity, sighed while smacking the side of Ace's foot lightly. "You know what Shanny will say if she sees footprints on the controls again."

"Ah, I ain't afraid of no mind-controller!" Ace mock scoffed. He looked down at the fighting mutants. He then got a smirk on his face. "Heh heh…"

"Ace…" Terrell blinked. The feral didn't respond. "_Ace…_What're you up to?" Ace smirked at his friend.

"I just had a funny idea." Ace smirked. "You know how I like to listen to music while I train?"

"Yeah, so?" Terrell crossed his arms.

"And SHIELD managed to somehow convince that Forge guy to take a crack at updating our little training room with holography, like the X-Men got in their fancy Danger Room." Ace continued.

"Yeah. God knows how he did it." Terrell chuckled. "Considering that Forge guy don't like us a whole lot. Well, not us, Bobby in particular. You know, whacking him across the face with his own arm and stuff." **(1)**

"Yeah, but Bobby told me that Forge tends to hold grudges for many a year." The feral chuckled. "Spending a couple decades trapped in some crazy 'Middle-verse' thing will do that to you. And you gotta admit, ol' Forgie got a pretty penny in his pocket for the job."

"Mm-hmm." Terrell nodded. "But the hologram stuff isn't fully tested yet. You know that. You wouldn't want something to go wrong now, would you?"

"I don't think so." Ace shrugged. "I heard that Forge is pretty reliable when it comes to building stuff." He smirked as he pulled out a CD.

"Ace, come on, man…" Terrell sighed. "This has got to be the craziest idea you ever had, Wildstar." He groaned as Ace got back into a regular sitting position. He had on a big grin.

"Let's see what this baby can do…" Ace smirked. He slid the CD inside a slot. The next sound Ace made was the sound of the clicking Ace made as his clawed fingers danced on the keyboard.

"Oh, I got a feeling this is gonna be a disaster…" Terrell sighed.

"There we go." Ace smirked. "Got it! Give it a couple minutes."

"Don't you have some fancy theft to investigate?" Terrell remembered.

"Oh yeah." Ace nodded. "Meh, I'll do it later."

"I swear, Ace." Terrell sighed. "As you've gotten older, you've only gotten _less_ mature." Ace burst out laughing.

"Why is it whenever I go out and have fun, everybody thinks that I'm not very mature?" Ace sighed. "I can't help it, man. I want to _enjoy_ life, you know? I want to be able to back on my life as an old man and say, 'You know what, Ace? You did it all'. It's one of the reasons I joined Freedom Force. I joined for finding adventure. Not to mention that you have to admit, the benefits are incredible."

"Yeah, I guess so." Terrell admitted. "They did help me out with paying for college."

"See?" Ace grinned. "I told you! They helped me out big time."

"Yeah, with that incident in Tijuana…" Terrell crossed his arms. Ace sighed.

"Hey, _I_ wasn't the one who got drunk. _I_ wasn't the one who picked the fight with those banditos. _I_ wasn't the one who set that bar on fire. _I_ wasn't the one who got stalked by that insane cat lady."

"I get your point, Ace." Terrell sighed. "I know that was all Thunderbird. I can't believe it. How do you manage to get yourself into all those crazy situations and come out smelling like a rose?" Ace smirked.

"Easy. You have to have cool. And I am cool." Ace chuckled. "And speaking of cool, and of my little investigation, that electronic mogul's daughter is rather cool. I tell you, she's like Pamela Anderson…with Einstein's brains."

"Oh, God…" Terrell sighed. "Always with you and the women…" Ace smiled.

"It's not me that I'm thinking about." Ace chuckled. "I think she may have taken a shine to my large friend Frederick…" His cell phone rang. The feral picked it up. "Yello? Again? Alright, Freddy. I'll be there." He closed his phone and got up.

"What's up?" Terrell wondered.

"Another theft." Ace answered, then left the room.

"But-!" Terrell started to object. Suddenly, the hologram generators activated, and the members of Freedom Force found themselves in an environment resembling an 8-bit video game, the song "Pac-Man Fever" blaring through the room.

"ACE!"

**_Next: The Investigation Continues_** _Ace, Fred, and Eileen investigate another theft of electronics._

**(1) – During Bobby's rampage in "Black Ice", the temporarily-insane ice-maker ripped off Forge's cybernetic arm and whacked him across the face with it.**


	9. The Investigation Continues!

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "YES!" – Marv Albert**

Chapter 9: The Investigation Continues

**The Xavier Institute**

Bobby Drake walked towards the door that led to office of Professor Charles Xavier, the head of the Institute, and a former teacher of Bobby's. He smirked as he put up his mental shields. He wanted to surprise Xavier. He knocked on the door.

"Come in." A cultured voice commanded warmly. Bobby opened the door. Professor Xavier looked up from the document he was writing, and he smiled in pleasant surprise.

"Bobby." He smiled. "It is good to see you again." Bobby smiled.

"Good to see you again, Professor." The ice-maker chuckled, shaking his former mentor's hand. "It's been a while."

"Yes, it has." Xavier smiled. The bald telepath never really got a chance to speak to his former student much, considering the distance Bobby lived away from the Institute. "You really must stop shielding yourself when you're here."

"Sorry. S.H.I.E.L.D. training." Bobby apologized. "I thought it'd be nice to surprise you." Bobby enjoyed being able to speak to the Professor again with such warmth. The last time he and the Professor spoke after the ice-maker left the X-Men, Bobby snapped at him in anger. Luckily, he and the headmaster managed to clear things up between them. **(1)** Xavier couldn't help but be proud of his former student. Even though Bobby had gone through some dark times in his life, the young mutant managed to turn himself around, using his powers for the good of the world, as well as putting mutants in a positive light. Not to mention Bobby's personal life found stability at last, and the mental scars he bore were finally able to heal.

"Well, I am certainly pleasantly surprised." Xavier chuckled. "Take a seat." Bobby did so. "What brings you back here. From what I understand, you had no plans to rejoin my X-Men."

"I still don't." Bobby told him. "As I have said before, Freedom Force is where I belong now. I wanted to come down here and see how everyone's doing. I also wanted to say hi to Danielle." Xavier nodded sadly.

"Yes. Poor girl." Xavier sighed. "I've tried, but I can't seem to coax her out of her coma. It's like she doesn't want to come out at all."

"Yeah." Bobby nodded. "I also feel bad for poor Roberto. That whole thing with Gossamyr and all. He caused Dani to go into a coma, and it wasn't even his fault."

"Kitty is still a little angry with him about it." Xavier told the ice-maker.

"I don't blame her. Dani's her best friend, after all." Bobby nodded. "I never got a chance to talk to 'Berto while he was still here." The ice-maker smiled. "Although I did get a chance to talk to him six months ago."

"Really?" Xavier raised an eyebrow.

"Mm-hmm." Bobby nodded. "During a mission in Brazil. Some superpowered psychopath was trying to kill powerful businessmen in Rio de Janeiro. I volunteered to watch over Roberto. I wanted to take the chance to repair bridges with him."

"Sounds like you have." Xavier deduced.

"Yeah, I have." Bobby answered. "He and I got to talking a bit. I told him that I was never angry at him abut Gossamyr and that I didn't blame him at all for causing Danielle's condition."

"I can imagine you taking that stance." Xavier agreed.

"Well, it wasn't his fault." Bobby told him. "His mind was screwed with by Gossamyr. He'd never hurt her of his own free will in any way." He looked down. "But…that's enough of my bellyaching. At least one good thing came out of this."

"You're referring to Kurt." Xavier deduced.

"Yeah." Bobby nodded. "You ever noticed something?"

"Noticed what?" Xavier wondered.

"Well…" Bobby started. "Ever since Kurt started helping Kitty care for Dani, I noticed Kurt…changing."

"How?"

"Well…" Bobby leant back on his chair. "Whenever Kurt's outside or anywhere else, he always looks sad. He has that whole haunted aura about him."

"Well…he's had it rough since he was forced to break up with Amanda." Xavier remembered. "Poor girl. She was forced into that guardian role. It was hard on her, too. But it was worse for Kurt. After that, he started doubting his faith." Bobby nodded.

"Mm-hmm." The ice-maker nodded. "However, if he is in the room with Danielle, he changes. He starts to smile. Almost like she cheers him up."

"I think it's because Kurt feels that he has a purpose again." Xavier suggested. "He felt very lost after losing Amanda. She was his world. Helping care for Danielle has really done wonders for him." Xavier smiled. "He does seem more cheerful when he is around her."

"Mm-hmm." Bobby nodded. "Anyway…" The ice-maker got up. "I gotta get going. I have to go help out…" A small black box fell out of his jacket. Xavier raised an eyebrow.

"Is that…" He pointed at the box as Bobby picked it up.

"Uh, yeah." Bobby mumbled. "…It's for Lila." Xavier couldn't help but smile.

"You want her to marry you?"

"Well…yeah…yeah, but not yet." Bobby admitted. "This is an engagement ring." He opened up the box, revealing his engagement ring. Xavier smiled at it.

"It looks wonderful." Xavier complimented.

**Outside the Institute**

Shan Coy, aka Karma, the leader of Freedom Force, appeared in a flash of light outside the Institute.

"Huh." Karma nodded in approval, looking at the futuristic digital watch on her wrist. She smirked. "S.H.I.E.L.D's tech boys have done it again." She knocked on the front door. "Once again, I'm picking up the Iceman." The door opened up. "Hello. I heard Bobby was here, and I…" She recognized the figure who answered. "Oh…"

"Oh…" Tabitha Smith, the blonde former New Mutant codenamed Boom-Boom, blinked. "…Shan…I…"

"Wow…" Shan scratched the back of her head nervously. Out of all the people on Earth, she didn't expect to run into her ex-girlfriend. "…You look…well…"

"Yeah…" Tabby blinked. "How's it going?"

"Uhm, fine…" Shan replied.

"I was just heading home." Tabby told the mind-controller.

"Oh, let me get out of your way, then." Shan stepped out of her way. The blonde then walked outside…pushing out a stroller. "I see you have your baby with you."

"Yeah." Tabby nodded. "She's about one now. Her name's Puck."

"Puck, huh?" Shan couldn't help but look amused. "Quite an unusual name. But then again, you never were quite normal."

"Blame Mr. McCoy." Tabby smiled. "He suggested the name. Came from Shakespeare."

"Puck. From _A_ _Midsummer Night's Dream_." Shan nodded. "Personally, I thought for a moment there, she was named after that jerk from _The Real World._" Tabby laughed.

"Yeah, people often think that." Tabby smiled at the little blonde baby girl snoozing in her stroller. "Look at us. Talking to each other like we were still…" Her head dropped, and eyes closed.

"Yeah." Shan sighed. "It did seem like that."

"Yeah." Tabby sighed. "I guess I had to do this sometime..." She took a breath. "…It wasn't you, Shan." Tabby finally spoke up. She then looked up at the Vietnamese woman. "It wasn't you at all. It was me."

"I know." Shan answered. "It really hurt me when you wanted to break it off. I really cared about you, Tabby."

"I just…" Tabby shook her head. "I just didn't want to burden you, Shan. I was dumb enough to screw around with some water-controlling jerk, and I didn't want you to pay for it." **(2)**

"Tabby…" Shan brushed her hair back with her hand. "I would've helped you take care of Puck. I never would've turned you out."

"I didn't want to tie you down, Shan." Tabby told her. "I cared about you, too. You were the first person I was ever with that thought of me as a person and not some cheap trick…okay, I brought that reputation upon myself."

"I never thought of you as a cheap trick." Shan shook her head.

"I know." Tabby smiled. "And I do appreciate that. It's just…you didn't deserve to be tied down. I brought my pregnancy on myself. If I did continue being with you, you'd have to assume a lot of responsibility. You were already leading Freedom Force. I didn't want to burden you with worrying about a family as well."

"Tabby, I'm used to having a lot of responsibility." Shan countered. "Believe it or not, sometimes leading Freedom Force is like babysitting. Especially now with the new guys we got."

"I can see that." Tabby nodded. "I did love you, Shan. I didn't want to end it with you. But I couldn't force you to help me care for Puck. I didn't want you to put your life on hold for me."

"…I…" Shan wanted to say something, but couldn't.

"I'm sorry, Shan. I really am." Tabby apologized sincerely. "I never wanted to hurt you. You're a wonderful person, and you made me very happy. I really regret it. I regret because…you didn't deserve it. I didn't think. I didn't consider the fact that you would still want to be in my life…If you hate me for it, I can understand." Shan didn't know what to say.

"…Tabby…" Shan looked at her blonde ex. "…I have to be honest. I was angry about it for a while. I didn't understand. I was hurt and very confused. It didn't seem fair."

"I know." Tabby nodded. "It wasn't. It was wrong of me."

"It's too bad I'm with someone else now." Shan told the blonde. "A waitress in LA. If I wasn't, I would ask you if you'd like to start over."

"I would, but…" Tabby smiled. "I'm with Ray Crisp now. Berzerker. He's a wonderful man. He took Puck in and wants to raise her as her own. I'm sure that waitress is very happy." Shan nodded, and then smiled.

"She is. And I love her a lot." The Vietnamese mutant nodded. "I'm glad you're happy with Berzerker."

"I'm glad you found someone new, Shan." Tabby smiled. "That waitress is very lucky to have you. I'm sure you will be very happy together for a long time."

"I hope so." Shan agreed. Tabby's smile never left her face.

"Shan…" Tabby looked at little Puck. "I was thinking…"

"About what?" The mind-controller cocked her head to the side.

"Well…" Tabby smiled at Shan. "I thought for a long time about how I could make it up to you for ending it with you like that. So…I was wondering…"

"Wondering what?"

"Well…" Tabby took a deep breath. "Shan…I was wondering…I want you to be Puck's godmother."

"Her…" Shan stammered.

"Yeah." Tabby smiled. "I got the idea from a joke Wolverine made when Puck was born. He told me and Ray that I should get the kid a godparent so she could have a sane influence." Shan laughed.

"Oh my God…" Shan laughed. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah." Tabby chuckled. "I thought it would be nice. I really did feel bad about breaking up with you like that. It would really be great if you accepted."

"Does Ray know?" Shan inquired.

"He does." Tabby nodded. "And before you ask, he has no problem. He understands." Shan leaned to the side, looking at the snoozing girl. The dark-haired mutant smiled, and looked up.

"…You serious about this?"

"As a heart attack." Tabby nodded. Shan took another look at Puck.

"Well…" Shan shrugged. "I'm all for it. I'd love to." Tabby smiled.

"Thank you, Shan. I appreciate it. And Puck will love you."

"I'm going to spoil her rotten." Shan grinned.

**A warehouse in Los Angeles**

"Another raid!" Eileen sighed as she looked around the warehouse. Crates were overturned, smashed, and generally wrecked. "Oh, dear…"

"Hey, babeolicious!" A voice greeted Eileen warmly.

"Ace, knock it off!" Another voice snapped. Eileen smiled and turned around. She noticed Ace and Fred walk towards her.

"Hi, boys!" She greeted warmly. She walked towards them and shook their hands. "Thanks for coming! I'm so sorry that I had to call you here under such terrible circumstances."

"It's alright, Eileen." Fred chuckled. "We're trained to deal with this." Ace looked around.

"Another ransacked warehouse, huh?" Ace stated the obvious.

"Yes." Eileen answered, nodding. "I can't figure this out. The security cameras have got nothing, and the police found three dead guards." She sighed, shaking her head. "Whoever is doing this is good with gadgets." Ace frowned.

_Hmm…_ Ace thought. "It can't be."

"…What?" Fred blinked.

"It can't be." Ace shook his head.

"Can't be what?" Fred blinked. Ace sighed.

"A few years ago, we fought an evil mutant named Virus. He was an English psychopathic mutant who believed that he was a prophet for future mechanical domination of the earth." Ace explained. "He was a genius, always thinking. He had a thing for electronic stuff."

"It was complicated by one of the original team having some…issues." Fred added. "But in the end, they saved the day.

"Oh yeah, that incident in Bayville a few years ago." Eileen nodded. **(3)** "I heard about that. Why do you think it's this Virus guy?"

"Oh, I don't know…" Ace answered as he turned his head. His sharp feral senses picked up something. "THAT, MAYBE?" He pointed behind him. Fred and Eileen turned around.

**_Next: Mech Madness_** _Blob, Wildstar, and Eileen have a shocking encounter, while Nightshift makes a shocking discovery of their own._

**(1) – In "Gifts and Curses". Bobby still had some issues with the X-Men at the time.**

**(2) – In "Gifts and Curses", Tabitha engaged in a brief relationship with Shan. Tabby broke it off when she learned she was pregnant thanks to John "Washout" Lopez.**

**(3) – See "Black Ice"**


	10. Mech Madness!

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "Appease who, now?" – Moe, from the Simpsons episode _Pray Anything_**

Chapter 10: Mech Madness

**A Harsaw Electronics warehouse in Los Angeles**

"THAT, MAYBE?" Ace pointed behind him. Fred and Eileen turned around. The two mutant's eyes widened in shock and jaws dropped.

"Wha-wha-wha…" Eileen mumbled nervously. "What…what _is_ that?" The three mutants backed away from what appeared to be a robotic spider. The spider's eight cybernetic eyes glowed an electronic green, and his body seemed to be made of pieces of junk that were repaired and put together again by an expert.

"Get behind me, Eileen!" Fred lightly pushed the blonde behind him.

"F-Freddy, my powers!" Eileen warned. "I can screw up superpowers, remember? And I'm very scared right now!"

"She's right, man." Ace nodded. "If she shuts your powers off, then we're all in big trouble!"

"Oh yeah. Good point." Fred admitted. "Well, you'd better get out of here, then."

"He's right, Blondie." Ace agreed with a nod. "You'd better get going. Get some help. We got 'im."

"We're trained for this stuff." Fred reassured. A panel in the spider's back opened up, and a large laser cannon rose from the spider's body. Eileen quickly squeaked and ran off.

"You know, you'd think that robots nowadays would learn to be more cordial." Ace chuckled.

"Ace…" Fred sighed. "There's a robot about to fire a cannon at us, and you're making jokes."

"Why not?" Ace smirked. "Always time for a few good jokes." The robot fired the laser. "Yikes! Duck!" The two mutants dodged out of the way of the laser, causing it to blast the boxes behind them.

"That robot may look tough, but it still can't stand against the Blob!" Fred growled. With a battle cry, Fred charged towards the robot.

"Fred! Be careful, man!" Ace hollered. The robot fired its laser at the Blob, but the powerhouse mutant couldn't be harmed by the powerful beam. With a cry, Fred smashed the robot with one mighty two-fisted hammer blow. The robot's body caved in under the force of the blow with a mighty crunch, and the glow from the robot's eyes and its cannon slowly faded to black. Blob grunted, and Ace blinked.

"Huh." Ace thought out loud as he slowly approached the robot. "That was easy."

"Yeah, that sure was." Fred chuckled. "That robot wasn't so tough. He was easy to whup."

"Yeah." Ace nodded. "Hmm…"

"What?" Fred blinked. "Something up?"

"Is…is everything okay?" Eileen asked as she slowly approached the duo and the robot.

"Yeah, fine." Fred smiled. "Are you alright?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine." Eileen smiled back. "Is the robot dead?"

"Deader than disco, babe." Ace chuckled, kicking the robot's leg. "He was easy."

"Oh yeah." Fred grinned victoriously. "He was real easy."

"Really?" Eileen blinked.

"Yeah, all it did was fire a laser at us." Ace blinked. "I was easily able to dodge it, and Fred, well…" Ace chuckled, lightly patting Fred's belly. "Nothing gets through the armor of this human tank."

"Mm-hmm." Fred nodded, crossing his arms. "It's like the robot wasn't even trying."

"Yeah, that's funny when you think about it…" Ace agreed, starting to think. "Now I may be a lot of things…a musician…a superhero…a celebrity…"

"A pain in the neck sometimes…" Fred added jokingly. Eileen giggled slightly at the joke. Fred smiled at the blonde woman.

"Hey!" Ace playfully glared at the large mutant. "But in all seriousness, I may be an Ace of Hearts, but mama didn't raise a fool. It seems like that robot _wanted_ us to wreck it."

"Yeah…" Fred agreed. Ace's head twitched. "Ace? You okay?" The feral started to snarl.

"Eileen?" His eyes moved towards her. "How well can you control your powers?"

"Um…um…pretty well." Eileen gulped. "I still lose control on rare occasions, but…they're rare."

"Well, babe, I think you had better get those powers warmed up…" Ace snarled. "Because here comes more of them!" The three mutants suddenly found themselves under a barrage of laser fire.

"Where is all this coming from?" Eileen exclaimed.

"Eileen, get down!" Fred lightly brought her down to the ground, and then carefully covered her with his own body. A few laser blasts hit Fred in the side, but his invulnerable body was able to handle it.

"Oh…" Eileen blushed. "Uh…thanks." Fred nodded nervously and got up. He heard roaring. Helping Eileen up, his eyes widened.

"Ace!" He exclaimed. A roaring Ace had engaged a couple more spider-like robots. He blasted one with his claw lasers, and then hefted up a second, and pitched it into a third. Three more appeared behind him, and started firing lasers at him.

"Hang on, Ace!" Fred started pounding away at the robot spiders, but several more jumped out of nowhere, blasting him with lasers and slamming into him with the help of boosters.

"Oh, dear…" Eileen tried to flee, but she screamed as she found herself under attack.

"Eileen!" The boys exclaimed as they turned around. Eileen tried to dodge laser fire from a squadron of fly-like robots, all seeming to be made of cleaned-up junk and spare parts.

"Eileen! Use your powers!" Fred yelled at her.

"H-huh?" Eileen stammered as she dove behind a crate.

"You can disrupt electronic devices!" Ace reminded as he blasted several fly robots. "These things are robots! They got electronics in there somewhere! You can screw up those electronics!"

"Oh…" Eileen realized. "Right!"

"You can do it, Eileen!" Fred encouraged.

"Okay…" The blonde girl sighed, adjusting her glasses. "Here goes nothing…" She got up and pointed her hands at the flies, her eyes glowing white. The fly robots she pointed at started to convulse and explode. "Wow…" She looked at her hands. "…I…" She started to grin. "I did it! I kicked butt! Whoo-hoo! EEK!" She dodged a laser.

"Keep your guard up, girl!" Ace chuckled as he leapt up towards her, slamming away a spider robot with his shoulder. Fred threw a spider robot into a couple of fly robots.

"Huh?" Fred blinked as he noticed a figure standing on some crates. He couldn't see who it was, but then he noticed electronic green circuit lines starting to glow all over the figure's body. "What the-?"

**Dark Hollow**

Kyle Dibney, the Canadian feral mutant codenamed Wild Child, walked towards a small area that was out of the way of the abandoned town. With him was Japheth, the South African mutant codenamed Maggott.

"Man, I still can't believe she's gone." Kyle sighed.

"Yeah." Japheth nodded in agreement. "It's been over a year already, and still, you know…"

"Yeah." Kyle nodded. "You know, the Professor guy, he was nice enough to help us bury her."

"Uh-huh." Japheth smiled. "I really don't know what Lucas's deal is with that guy. That Xavier guy, he sounds pretty nice. Lizzie agrees with me, although she's a little wary of him."

"Ah, I couldn't care less." Kyle shrugged. "You know, I just realized something."

"What?"

"We haven't been up here in a month or so." Kyle realized.

"Ah, life and stuff." Japheth shrugged.

"There it is." Kyle pointed to a field. Sitting in the middle of it, was a gravestone. On it was "Theresa Rourke. Siryn. Gone too soon." It was finished by her dates of birth and death. Kyle walked up to the grave. He noticed something odd. "Funny…" He leaned down.

"What?" Japheth blinked.

"Hmm…" Kyle grimaced as he rubbed the ground slightly with his hand. His strong feral senses noticed something. "This ground's been moved. Get Lucas." Japheth nodded and ran off. Sometime later, Lucas and Lizzie went to the gravesite.

"Ye had better be right, Dibney." Lucas warned.

"Do I _look_ like I'm joking?" Kyle groaned. "I'm telling you, the ground over Theresa's coffin was moved. Somebody dug around in it."

"Ah dunno about this, digging up Theresa. It's not right." Lizzie shook her head.

"If Kyle thinks someone had dug around Theresa's grave, then we have to know who and why." Lucas told his blonde girlfriend. He turned to Kyle. "Did ye smell anyone?"

"No." Kyle shook his head. "Just me and Japheth." Lucas nodded. He then looked at the gravesite and sighed. "I'm sorry, Theresa." He whispered sadly. "I hope ye forgive me." Using his telekinetic powers, Lucas dug up the dirt and put it in a pile next to the grave. He then gently lifted the brown wooden coffin containing Theresa's body up out of the grave and put it to the side. _Funny…_ He thought, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. _Something is seriously wrong here…_ The blond man walked over to the coffin, the three Nightshift members at his sides.

"Oh Theresa, Ah hope you forgive us…" Lizzie sighed. Lucas prepared himself.

"Okay, ye two. I must want ye, ye may nae like what ye see." The blond telepath warned. He slowly opened the coffin, and the three Nightshift members' eyes widened.

"No…mah God, no…" Lizzie gasped in shock, covering her mouth.

"No way! No way!" Kyle gaped. "That can't be!" Lucas's face showed horror and anger.

"Who did this-?" He snarled.

Theresa Rourke's coffin was empty.

**_Next: Demanding Answers_** _Amazon calls in Freedom Force to help figure out what happened to Theresa's body. And an old feud reignites._


	11. Demanding Answers

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "You maniac! You blew it up! Damn you! Damn you all to hell!" – Homer Simpson, _The_ _Simpsons_**

Chapter 11: Demanding Answers

**Dark Hollow**

Elizabeth Guthrie, the size-changing mutant called Amazon, couldn't believe what just happened today. She had discovered that the grave of her fellow Nightshift member, Theresa Rourke, the Irish screamer codenamed Siryn, was defaced in a shocking manner. Someone had dug up the coffin she was buried in, and made off with her body, and tried to make it look like it never happened, although to be honest, Nightshift would've never noticed had it weren't for Kyle Dibney's feral senses detecting a disturbance in the ground around the Irish girl's grave. In the background, the sounds of a cursing and screaming Lucas could be heard. The blonde went over to a telephone and started dialing a number.

**Freedom Force HQ**

_Brrrrring_ _brrrrring! Brrrrring brrrrring!_ A telephone in Freedom Force's HQ rang. One Lila Cheney, the interstellar teleporter codenamed Starway, walked up to the phone. In the background, one could hear the sounds of a brawl between Rusty and Betsy.

"I got it! I got! Don't hang up!" Lila yelled as she ran towards the phone.

"Come back here, you English creampuff!" The voice of the pyrokinetic named Rusty "Firefist" Collins yelled. His yell was accompanied by the fwoosh of a jet of flames followed by a sound of glass breaking.

"I'll knock your bloody block off, you Yank cow!" The voice of the telepath named Betsy "Psylocke" Braddock yelled back, accompanied by the sound of a wall being smashed.

"Hey, knock it off!" Lila snapped as she took the phone. "Hello?"

"H-h-hello?" Lizzie stammered.

"Lizzie?" Lila blinked.

"Lila!" Lizzie brightened when she recognized the voice. She and Lila had become rather good friends over the years. It was a bit of irony on their part, considering the fact that Lila's boyfriend was once in love with Elizabeth, which led to disaster. **(1)** "Did Ah call at a bad time?"

"No, just another fight broke out among the kids." Lila answered. She grumbled and put her hand over the receiver. "Rusty! Betsy! Knock it the hell off!" She went back to the phone. "I'm sorry, Lizzie. What's up? You sound terrible."

"Oh, God…" Lizzie choked up. "Something horrible happened today. Really horrible!"

"What?" Lila grew concerned. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah, everyone is." Lizzie tried not to sob. "It's just…just, uh…get Freedom Force down here to Dark Hollow!"

"Why?" Lila blinked. "Is something wrong? There's another team in Bayville…"

"Ah know, but Ah'd feel better if your team was here, Lila." Lizzie wiped a tear from her eye. "It's Theresa. Somebody dug her up and took her."

"Oh my God…" Lila's face paled. "Do you have any idea who?"

"No, Ah don't." Lizzie shook her head. "Ah have no idea who'd do this. And Ah can't call the police. Ah don't think they'd want any part of this, and Lucas is going crazy enough."

"Alright, I'll see if I can get Shan to let us take a look." Lila nodded. "Don't worry, Lizzie. We'll find out who did this."

"Ah hope so." Lizzie sniffled. "Ah really hope you can."

**Dark Hollow, sometime later**

A knock was heard on the door of Lizzie and Lucas's house.

"Ah'm comin', Ah'm comin'!" Lizzie called out at the door as she walked up to it. The sounds of Samuel Pare, the young Canadian fish-like mutant called Squid-Boy, and Japheth, the South African mutant with slugs for a stomach called Maggott, could be heard arguing in the background.

"I wanna watch the monster truck rally!" Sammy could be heard snapping.

"I wanna watch wrestling!" Japheth could be heard snapping back.

"Wrestling's stupid!" Sammy groaned. "I wanna see some cars crushed!"

"Monster trucks are lame!" Japheth muttered. "All they do is crush cars! They don't do anything else!"

"Ah'm surrounded by goofballs." Lizzie muttered to herself as she opened the door. She saw Shan at the other side.

"You called?" The mind-controller smiled.

"Shan! Thank God!" Lizzie sighed gratefully, quickly grabbing Shan in a hug.

"Hey Shan, she's taken." Terrell teased.

"Oh, shaddap." Shan mock grumbled. "We got your call, Liz. You wanted us to look around Theresa's grave…?"

"Right. Thanks a lot for coming." Lizzie remembered, letting Shan go. "Ah'm so sorry, Ah'm just horrified. Ah can't believe that somebody would do something like this." She noticed a familiar figure standing off to the side. She walked up to him. "Hello, Bobby." The ice-maker nodded.

"Hello, Lizzie." Bobby nodded at the blonde size-changer. "I heard about Theresa."

"It's horrible." She sighed. "Who would do this?"

"…I have no idea." Bobby admitted, shaking his head. "And there really isn't much of a suspect list."

"Mm-hmm." Lizzie agreed with a nod. She then heard a call. "Hang on."

"Hey, what's going on down there?" Lucas Haller-Xavier, the telepathic, telekinetic, and pyrokinetic MPD-afflicted mutant codenamed Legion, grumbled from upstairs. "I'm trying tae take a nap here!" He walked to the stairs, when he noticed Freedom Force. "What?"

"Hello, Legion." Karma greeted.

"What're ye doin' here?" Lucas crossed his arms and scowled at the Vietnamese woman.

"We just felt like dropping by." Shan joked. Lucas narrowed his eyes.

"What're Freedom Force doing here?" The Scottish mutant wondered. "I thought we had an agreement. Ye said ye'd never bother us again after we helped ye out with dealin' with that Virus lunatic." **(2)**

"And we haven't." Karma agreed with a nod. "We haven't even _looked_ in you're direction since then."

"It's alright, Lucas." Lizzie reassured as she walked into the house. "They're only here because Ah called them." Lucas raised an eyebrow.

"What's going on here?" Lucas frowned, crossing his arms. "Why are ye here?"

"The body of one Theresa Rourke, aka Siryn." Shan explained.

"Somebody stole her body." Lucas nodded. "What's it tae ye? She never was in Freedom Force."

"Ah called them because Ah thought they could help us, Lucas." Lizzie explained. "They have connections, not to mention they have better resources than we do."

"Ah dunno…" Lucas shook his head. "Ye know who they work for."

"Ah know." Lizzie nodded.

"Don't worry, Legion." Shan reassured. "We report directly to Nick Fury himself. As far as he's concerned, you guys aren't any threat to national security."

"Oh, that's good." Lizzie chuckled. "After all, we just want to live quietly."

"Having Fury on your side isn't a bad thing, Amazon." Shan chuckled. "Anyway, can you take us to the grave, please?"

"Wait…" Lucas narrowed his eyes. "No…" He picked up a familiar mental signature. He then scowled at Karma. "Ye brought _him_ along. Why is _he_ here?"

"His reasons are known to him alone." Terrell told Lucas sagely.

"Oh, no…" Lizzie moaned.

"Why do you think, Lucas?" Bobby Drake growled at the blond Scot as he walked into the house. "I'm here to do my job." Japheth and Sammy peeked in when they overheard the noise.

"Oh, great." Japheth grumbled. "The Iceman has cometh."

"Oh, man…" Sammy moaned. "Why _him_ of all people?" Bobby noticed the two.

"Boo." He grinned mirthly. Japheth and Sammy made tracks.

"Bobby, stop that." Shan sighed. _Why'd I bring him here again?_

"Drake, ye got anything better tae do than scare me teammates? Like go terrorize a town or something?" Lucas suggested snidely at Bobby.

"I could terrorize the little town inside your head." Bobby retorted. "There are enough people in your head to populate an entire city."

"Oh, this'll be fun." Terrell sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Ye wanna say that again, ye arrogant-!" Lucas snarled, his hand forming a fist and flaming up.

"I'll yell it to the entire world, you smug-!" Bobby growled, his eyes starting to glow blue.

"Guys, _please_ don't get into a fight here!" Lizzie moved so she stood between Bobby and Lucas. She knew that neither of them would try to go through her to get to each other. Besides, if they did, she'd kick both of their butts.

"Why'd I bring him again?" Shan remarked to Terrell in a deadpan voice. The speedster shrugged.

"He volunteered, remember?" Terrell reminded.

"…And why was I dumb enough to let him come?"

"…I dunno." Terrell finally answered with a shrug. Shan sighed.

"We'd better call Lila." The mind-controller groaned.

**_Next: Still Demanding Answers_** _Freedom Force investigates Siryn's disappearance, while Elizabeth and Lila try to stop Bobby and Lucas from killing each other._

**(1) – See "Black Ice"**

**(2) – Again, in "Black Ice"**


	12. Still Demanding Answers

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "I'm gonna eat ya, little fishie!" – Cat, Red Dwarf**

Chapter 12: Still Demanding Answers

**Los Angeles**

Fred Dukes sat down on a bench in a Los Angeles park. The large mutant had started to do some thinking.

_That was weird._ The blond mutant mentally mumbled to himself. _What the heck was that thing I saw in the warehouse? It looked a little bit like that Warlock guy over in the X-Men. _Fred frowned. _But it couldn't have been Warlock. Warlock doesn't look human. And that shape did look like it was shaped like a human. And Warlock has yellow lines running all over his body. That figure had green lines on him. Maybe he's another one of those Technarc things. There probably is a connection._

"…Oh." A familiar voice piped up in surprise. "Freddy. I didn't expect to see you here." The large mutant turned and saw Eileen. The blonde woman's hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, and she was dressed in a black t-shirt and purple jeans.

"Oh." Fred blinked. "Hello, Eileen."

"How are you?" She smiled.

"Oh, I'm doing alright." Fred nodded. "I was just doing some thinking."

"About what?" Eileen cocked her head.

"Well…" He started to answer, until he looked at the bench he was sitting on. "Oh, I'm sorry, Eileen. You wanted to sit?"

"Sure. Thank you." Eileen smiled. She took a seat next to the large Texan. "What brings you here?"

"Well…" Fred shrugged. "I just went here to do some thinking."

"About what?" Eileen blinked.

"That craziness Ace, you, and I got into back at that warehouse." Fred explained. "During that fight, I noticed something odd."

"Odd?" Eileen scratched her head. "You mean fighting a bunch of crazed robots isn't odd to you?"

"Uh, heh heh…" Fred chuckled embarrassedly, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, for me, it isn't odd. Being a member of Freedom Force and all, heh heh."

"Freedom Force, huh?" Eileen blinked. "I've heard of them on TV. You guys are mutants that work for the government, right?"

"Kinda." Fred nodded. "We use our powers to deal with superhuman threats. Ever since I became part of the East Coast-based team, I've seen a lot of crazy stuff. Wild robots aren't exactly shocking to me."

"How'd you join up?" Eileen wondered.

"Well, that's…complicated." Fred frowned. **(1)**

"Okay…" Eileen nodded.

"Yeah." Fred shrugged. "At first, I wasn't to thrilled at the possibility of being a superpowered secret agent, but you know what…" The powerhouse mutant smiled. "I grew to like it. The guy we work for…he's alright. A bit distant, but he's a good guy."

"I see." Eileen nodded.

"Maybe you should join up." Fred suggested.

"M-M-M-_Me?_" Eileen sputtered.

"Yeah." Fred chuckled. "I turned my life around on that team."

"Sounds like you enjoyed it." Eileen smiled.

"Well, for the most part, yeah." Fred confirmed. "I did…well…" The blond mutant's face fell. "Except for one thing."

"…Your girlfriend, right?" Eileen deduced. "You told me about her."

"Yeah." Fred sighed. "She was a human, but she was still on the team. She helped keep us in line." The Texan smiled. "I have this one teammate who has superhuman speed and white hair, although he likes to himself as God's gift to women. He also thinks a little _too_ highly of himself."

"I see." Eileen frowned. "You see those kind of guys a lot in this town."

"Mm-hmm." Fred agreed. "Anyway, he never got along with Rosey. That was her name. He didn't like the fact that she was allowed to give the team, which were mutants, orders. Despite his speed, Rosey could always find a way to catch him and beat him up. We always had a good laugh when that happened." His face fell again. "She…well…it's hard to explain without sounding crazy, but let's just say that there was a big crisis, and…" He sighed sadly. "She didn't make it through."

"I am so sorry, Fred." Eileen apologized. "Sounded like you loved her very much. She must've loved you a lot."

"We were so happy together." Fred sighed. "I was going to ask her to marry me when she died."

"Oh, that's terrible." Eileen put a hand on Fred's shoulder.

"Yeah." Fred nodded sadly. "The sad part is, Eileen…" He turned his head to look at her. "I mean, my mutation…well, it made me look like this. I'm not exactly Brad Pitt. Girls would laugh at me and call me fat and stuff."

"You can't help how you look, Fred." Eileen told him. "Just because you're a big guy, that doesn't mean you're a bad person."

"I also wasn't known for being a shining intellect." Fred explained. "School work always was a problem for me. I mean, I can read and write just fine, but…my grades were never great."

"So?" Eileen blinked. "That doesn't mean you aren't smart. There are other ways of being smart. Just because math and science aren't your thing, doesn't mean there aren't any other ways where you can be smart."

"Well…" Fred smiled. "I will admit, I'm a bit of a whiz in the kitchen."

"Really?" Eileen smiled. "I'm a terrible cook myself. I've burned _water_ on more than one occasion. The best I can do without a disaster is Cheez Whiz on crackers. Seriously."

"Maybe I'll help you out sometime." Fred chuckled. "Anyway, Rosey was one in a million to me. She loved my cooking, and she didn't mind that I was big and not very good in school. I was so happy with her. But she's gone now." Fred looked down at the floor sadly.

"I thought Ace helped you get over her." Eileen remembered.

"Yeah, he did." Fred confirmed. "But…he can't help me with this. He tries, though. He doesn't understand, although he tries. With my looks, I highly doubt any women will want to be with me. Add on the fact that I'm not exactly an Einstein, and well…you see why I feel so terrible sometimes." Eileen felt bad for the large mutant.

_Oh, it's just not fair._ She sighed, shaking her head. _He's so nice and everything. He's so sweet, yet he had to go through so much. _"I really am sorry, Fred." Eileen apologized sincerely.

"It's not your fault." Fred waved it off. "You're lucky. You're smart, rich, pretty…"

"Not _that_ easy." Eileen shook her head. "When I was a kid, I was very shy. Combine that with the fact that I'm a high-achiever, and other kids tend to assume you're too good to associate with them, that you're full of yourself."

"…You don't seem that way to me." Fred blinked.

"Well…" Eileen chuckled. "I'm not a show-off. And of course, my looks made me popular with guys, but for the wrong reasons."

"Yeah, I can see why." Fred admitted, rubbing the back of his head with a nervous laugh.

"Oh, you…" Eileen blushed. "Yeah, I've had my share of problems. But why are you here, seriously?"

"Well, I was thinking." Fred explained. "About that battle. At the end of it, I saw…something."

"What?" Eileen blinked.

"Well…" Fred frowned in concentration, scratching his head. "I saw…a figure. I think it was human, but the figure started to glow."

"Glow?" Eileen blinked.

"Yeah." Fred answered. "Green. Green lines like the lines on a computer chip."

"I see." Eileen nodded in understanding. "I know what you're talking about."

"I started thing about something, but…" Fred then shook his head. "Nah, it can't be."

"What?" Eileen asked, interested.

"Well, I kept thinking about this bad guy that the Freedom Force team in California fought a few years back." Fred explained. "He was called Virus. He was this English mutant who had the power to invent." He let out a sigh. "He was also insane. He believed that he was a messiah. He believed machines once ruled the world, and they were enslaved by humans."

"Wow." Eileen couldn't believe her ears. "That's crazy."

"Yup." Fred agreed. "It is. It really is. Anyway, he tried to attack Bayville, and, to make a long story short, a guy I know from that team, the Iceman, managed to beat him single-handedly."

"Huh." Eileen noted. "So…I don't see what this has to do with the figure. And I've heard of Iceman. They say he was crazy."

"He got better." Fred told her. "Anyway, he was forced to kill Virus. From what I heard, He put a spike made of ice through Virus's heart, and they both were engulfed in an explosion." Fred scrunched his face as he tried to call up the memory accurately. "If I remember correctly, Virus was believed to have died, and Iceman was out cold for three days."

"Wow…" Eileen mumbled as she took it all in.

"Yeah, it's amazing." Fred agreed. "At the time, Iceman was going through some emotional problems." **(2)**

"I heard about all that on TV." Eileen remembered.

"Well, for some reason…" Fred frowned. "I keep thinking that maybe there's a connection between Virus and the raids on your warehouses. They said Virus's body was never found, and one of his powers was the ability to turn himself into a shadow-like form that he could use to possess machines."

"Maybe you should ask Iceman about that." Eileen suggested.

"He'd be no help." Fred shook his head. "That fight gave him a three-day gap in his memory. He doesn't remember the battle with Virus, or the next couple days afterward. It didn't help that he was out cold after it."

"Wow." Eileen whistled impressedly. "I am impressed. You're a better detective than I thought."

"Really?" Fred blinked.

"Yeah." Eileen smiled. "See? You don't need to have gotten 'A's in school to be smart." Fred smiled. Perhaps the blonde had a point, after all.

**Dark Hollow**

Shan was looking into a device that looked a lot like a futuristic telescope. It was pointed downward at the gravesite of Theresa Rourke.

"What _is_ that thing?" Kyle frowned, pointing at the telescope.

"One of the little toys SHIELD's been wanting tested." Shan grinned. "It's a little scanner-like…thing. It's hard to explain."

"Huh." The feral mutant crossed his arms. "I want one of those." Meanwhile, Bobby was standing around. He looked over at an impatiently-pacing Lucas and smirked.

"Hey Blondie, got any new little friends running around in your messed-up head?" The ice-maker asked. Lucas scowled.

"I dunno. Have ye got some of yer own?" He grumbled. Lizzie, who was sitting on a large rock, sighed.

"Guys, knock it off." She groaned. "Lucas, you know that when Bobby starts cracking jokes, you should just ignore him."

"Awww, cut him a break, Liz." Bobby smirked. "He can't help it. Ignoring people is a concept too complex for him or any of his voices to understand."

"Ye really want me tae whup ye again, don't ye?" Lucas growled.

"Please." Bobby snorted. "I'm not scared of you." A flash of white light suddenly erupted, and vanished as quickly as it appeared, Lila Cheney appearing in its place.

"I came as soon as I heard." She said.

"Aw great, more of them." Lucas moaned.

"Oh, hush up." Lizzie sighed, walking over to Lila. "Thanks for coming. Ah'm gonna need some help keeping the Bonehead Brothers over here from doing what they do best: Stupid things."

"Glad to help." Lila chuckled. "Hey, I'm sorry about Theresa."

"It wasn't your fault." Lizzie shook her head. "Ah just hope you Freedom Force guys can help."

"Don't worry, Lizzie." Shan reassured, scanning the grave. "We'll find something."

"Well, I'm glad all of ye are getting along." Lucas snorted sarcastically. "Because I think this is all bloody garbage."

"Whadda matter, Lucas? Upset because you're not the center of attention?" Bobby mocked. Lucas growled and turned towards the ice-maker.

"Ye better watch that mouth while ye're here, Drake." Lucas snarled. "You are _persona non grata_ around here."

"I don't like you much either, you Marilyn Manson wannabe, so I'm not complaining." Bobby grunted.

"At least I never let meself became a cold-blooded psychopath." Lucas grunted.

"Better to be a cold-hearted psychopath than a Goth-wannabe with voices in his head!" Bobby snapped.

"Ooh boy, it just started to get cold out here." Terrell rubbed his arms.

"Mm-hmm." Shan answered nonchalantly, still scanning.

"I may have voices in me head, but I'm nae a walkin' pity case like _ye_ are!" Lucas snapped back at Bobby.

"And it suddenly just heated up!" Terrell started fanning himself with his hat.

"Mm-hmm." Shan again answered nonchalantly.

"You're gonna be when I turn your face into hamburger meat, you smug-!" Bobby snarled, his hand icing up with his fingers forming points.

"I'd like to see ye try, ye whiny-!" Lucas snarled back, his fist flaming up. They started to charge, but were being held back, Lucas by Wild Child and Amazon, and Bobby by Starway and Velocity.

"Bobby, knock it off!" Lila snapped.

"Lucas, stop it!" Lizzie snapped. She powered up, causing her to grow to around eight feet. The now-taller mutant managed to force Lucas back. "It's alright, Wild Child! Ah got him!" She shoved him back and powered down to her true height. "Lucas! Ah'm surprised at you!"

"Yeah!" Lila agreed, glaring at her ice-making boyfriend. "Bobby, you know better than this!"

"Ah keep telling you, Lucas! If he starts making jokes, you ignore him! Why do you keep doing this?" Lizzie groaned.

"Tae shut him up!" Lucas snapped.

"It doesn't work!" Lizzie snapped back. "You keep reacting to him! That's what he wants! He keeps doing it because he knows he can get to you!"

"_Ye_ try ignoring that mouth of his!" Lucas grumbled.

"Bobby, you know by now to stop cracking jokes like that!" Lila groaned.

"I can't help it, Lila. Cracking jokes about him is as easy as basic math." Bobby joked, smirking at Lucas. "It's as easy as he is."

"Why ye little-!" Lucas attempted to lunge for Bobby's throat, but Lizzie moved to hold him back. "Let me go! I'll kill him!"

"Bring it on, little punk!" Bobby snapped, being held back by Lila. "I'm not afraid of you!"

"Man, we're gonna end up living in a crater!" Wild Child whined.

"Mm-hmm." Shan nodded, not even looking up from her gadget.

**_Next: Encounter_** _While out enjoying the nightlife, Ace has a shocking encounter!_

**(1) – In "Gifts and Curses", the Brotherhood was made into Freedom Force East by Nick Fury blackmailing them, in essence.**

**(2) – All this was in "Black Ice". **


	13. Encounter

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "D'oheth!" - Homer Simpson, _The_ _Simpsons_**

Chapter 13: Encounter

**Dark Hollow**

"This is ridiculous!" Bobby Drake, the Omega-level ice-making mutant codenamed Iceman, snapped.

"Aye! For once, and I cannae _believe_ I'm sayin' this, but I agree with the loudmouthed ice cube!" Lucas Xavier, the fire-wielding telepath/telekinetic agreed.

"Don't you think the blasted collars are enough?" Lucas grumbled.

"Yeah, you don't need to do _this_ to us!" Bobby exclaimed. "I mean, you don't do this to a guy!"

"Sorry, boys." Lila apologized with a smile, crossing her arms. "But you gentlemen need this."

"Uh-huh." Lizzie Guthrie, the size-changing blonde codenamed Amazon, agreed. "It's the only way we can be sure that you boys will stay out of trouble."

"Ugh…" Bobby and Lucas moaned in unison. They both had power-dampening collars around their necks…and they were each bound to a tree by chains.

"Lizzie, come on!" Lucas begged. "The others won't stop making jokes!"

"You get what you boys deserve." Lila told them. "Let's go see if Shan found anything with her doohickey."

"Yeah." Lizzie nodded. "If you boys stay nice and quiet, we'll let you go." She and Lila walked away, not hearing their boyfriends' protests and demands to release them. The two guys sighed in defeat.

"What do we see in those two again?" Bobby frowned.

"Well, tae be honest, I always thought Elizabeth had a great arse." Lucas admitted. Meanwhile, the girls went back to the site of Theresa's grave.

"Did you find anything, Shan?" Lila asked. Shan looked up.

"Yeah, I did." Shan nodded. "And I didn't."

"What do you mean?" Lizzie blinked.

"Well, the scanner couldn't find any signs that someone was here recently." Shan sighed. "Although, it did pick up something unusual."

"What?" Lila asked.

"It picked up traces of metal. Lots of metal." Shan told the girls. "Whatever was here, it used a lot of metal."

"But it can't be Magneto." Lila shook her head. "The guy reformed and joined up with the Institute as a teacher a while back." **(1)**

"Then who is it?" Lizzie frowned. "Ah mean, who would do something like this? It can't be an anti-mutant group. Nobody outside the X-Men, you guys, and that other Freedom Force team knows about Theresa. And I highly doubt any of _them_ would do this."

"I know. It is a mystery." Lila sighed. "I wonder what this whole thing is about."

**The Brotherhood House**

Fred Dukes, the powerhouse mutant codenamed Blob, walked into the Brotherhood House. He walked into the kitchen and noticed a certain geokinetic sitting in the kitchen, eating a sandwich.

"Hey, Lance." Fred greeted. "How's it going?"

"Hey, Fred." Lance chuckled. "Just thought I'd come by and visit. Heard you got yourself a mission."

"Yeah. I've been helping Ace Starr over in California." Fred explained. "Weird stuff going on down there."

"What kinda weird stuff?" Lance wondered.

"Well, just some odd warehouse raids." Fred answered. "Electronic stuff. It's not my thing, but the parts that were stolen are cheap and simple. At least, that's what Eileen told me."

"Eileen?" Lance raised an eyebrow.

"Eileen Harsaw." Fred clarified.

"Harsaw? As in Harsaw Electronics?" Lance's jaw dropped. "They're one of the biggest electronics firms in the country!"

"Yeah." Fred chuckled. "Eileen is the daughter of the owner. And she's a mutant, too."

"What's her mutation?" A shocked Lance gaped.

"Uhm…" Fred scrunched his face. "She can cause gadgets to go wrong. Something to do with electromagnetism or something like that."

"That's an odd power." Lance raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Fred shrugged. "It is odd. She accidentally caused a waiter's calculator to short out."

"Huh." Lance nodded.

"It's kinda cool." Fred chuckled. "Eileen and I have gotten to do some talking."

"Really. What's she like?" Lance wondered.

"Well, she's real nice." Fred sat down. "She's very sweet, and she's beautiful. Blonde hair, easy on the eyes, very smart…"

"Wow." Lance whistled. "She sounds like one heck of a woman."

"Yeah." Fred smiled. "She is. In some ways, she reminds me of…"

"Oh." Lance sighed. "Yeah. We still miss Rosey too, pal."

"It's just…" Fred tried to put it into words. "I really like her. She's really neat. But…"

"But what?" Lance bit into his sandwich.

"Well…" Fred wondered. "It's just…she's just so neat, and I'm so…I mean, she's very nice and she doesn't make me feel stupid. But…I don't think she'd like somebody like me. I'm just a fat dumb Texan and she's an LA girl. Not to mention the last two women I liked were disasters. Jean was a disaster because it was one-sided on my part, and Rosey…well, we know Rosey ended."

"Well well well, looks like Freddy has a bit of a crush." Lance teased. Fred groaned.

**Los Angeles, California, that night**

"_Whatta_ _whole lotta love!_" Ace Starr sang happily as he cruised the streets of Los Angeles in his beloved blue Ferrari, Led Zeppelin blasting from the radio. He stopped in front of a club. "Oh yeah, baby! AAAAOW!" The feral mutant codenamed Wildstar chuckled and whooped happily as he left his car. He walked up to the bouncer that stood in front of the club door. "Hey there, Bruno." The big bald bouncer smiled.

"Hello, Mr. Starr." He greeted. "Out doing your thing as usual?"

"You got it, Bruno." Ace smiled. He knew people in LA. "How's the wife?"

"She's doing fine. Six months pregnant." Bruno answered.

"Cool! Is it a boy or a girl?" Ace grinned happily.

"Well, the missus wants to be surprised." Bruno chuckled. "My first kid."

"Ah, I'm sure you'll be a good pop." Ace chuckled. "I mean, you'd certainly be better at it than me. I mean, look at me! Do I look like someone who could be a dad?"

"Carry on the way you do, and it might happen to you sooner than you think." Bruno smirked.

"Nah." Ace waved it off. "That'll never happen. Anyway, is the club hot tonight?"

"You bet, Mr. Starr." Bruno nodded, waving Ace in. "Have a good night."

"Thank you." Ace thanked, walking in.

"Try not to take too many girls home at once, okay Mr. Starr?" Bruno joked.

"Yeah, yeah." Ace laughed. He immediately went over to the bar.

"What'll it be, mac?" The bartender inquired.

"Just give me a Bud, please." Ace thanked. The bartender put a bottle of Budweiser. The retro-dressed feral mutant picked up the bottle, and he noticed a beautiful redhead in a blue dress sitting at the bar, enjoying some purple cocktail. "Hello…" He walked over to the redhead. "Hello there, beautiful." The redhead turned around.

"Oh, hello." She blinked. "Hey, you're that rocker guy. Ace Starr."

"Guilty as charged, babe." Ace chuckled. "I am indeed the King of the Rock Jungle, baby." The redhead giggled.

"Wow, I can't believe this." She smiled. "I saw you perform last week. You were amazing!"

"Thank you." Ace smiled at the compliment. "I really appreciate that. I always try to give my fans their money's worth. I'm always glad I can entertain such a ravishing beauty like you." The feral mutant took her hand and kissed it making the redhead smile.

"Hee hee, you're sweet." She giggled. Ace then suddenly perked up, his ears twitching. "Is something wrong?"

"GET DOWN! NOW!" Ace yelled out at the top of his lungs. The wall of the club exploded, causing clubgoers to scatter and jump down to the ground in fright.

"Oh my God!" The redhead screamed.

"Get out of here!" Ace told her sternly. She ran out towards the exit, and Ace snarled at the figure making its way through the wall. His eyes then widened. The figure barely looked human. It looked like someone had taken the parts of a car and used them to make a robot. "What in the name of-?"

**_Next: Robot Rampage_** _The X-Men encounter a shock, and Ace Starr battles a robot!_

**(1) – In "Gifts and Curses"**


	14. Robot Rampage

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "What're you gonna do, bleed on me?" – King Arthur, Monty Python and the Holy Grail**

Chapter 14: Robot Rampage

**The Brotherhood House**

"What're you talking about?" Fred blinked, looking at Lance in a disbelieving manner.

"Oh, nothing…" Lance waved it off.

"No seriously, what're you talking about?" Fred insisted.

"Ah, it's nothing." Lance shrugged. The blond powerhouse shot the brown-haired geokinetic a deadpan look.

"Lance, you do realize that I can tie your limbs into knots right now." Fred reminded Lance in a deadpan manner, crossing his arms.

"I know that." Lance shrugged.

"So, I'd like to know what you're talking about." Fred explained.

"Well Freddy…" Lance leaned back in his chair. "I think you have a bit of a thing for Miss Harsaw." Fred raised a blond eyebrow.

"I think you've been drinking, Lance." Fred shook his head. "I don't like Eileen that way."

"Oh, on a first name-basis with her already, are we?" Lance chuckled.

"She doesn't like to be called 'Miss Harsaw', Lance." Fred shook his head. "She says it makes her feel like an old woman."

"They say she's not like other rich girls her age, though." Lance remembered.

"Well, yeah." Fred agreed. "She's not cheap, stupid, and spoiled. It kind of helps that her name isn't Paris Hilton." Lance laughed.

"Good one, man." Lance chuckled, high-fiving the large mutant. "Heh heh, yeah…but seriously, Fred…I think you like her."

"What makes you say that?" Fred crossed his arms.

"Well…" Lance smirked. "The way you were talking about Eileen a few minutes ago, for one."

"Yeah, but…" Fred sighed. "Lance, you know how it's been for me since Rosey died."

"I thought you were over her." Lance blinked.

"I am, but…" The large mutant moved in his seat. "Well…it's just…Eileen reminds me a lot of Rosey, only Eileen is blonde instead of a redhead."

"Oh, right. You always were into redheads." Lance remembered. "So there's no way that you'd be into her."

"You should meet her, Lance." Fred told the geokinetic. "She's a lot like Rosemary, only a bit more on the shy side, and she's blonde."

"Really?" Lance blinked.

"Really." Fred answered. "When people first come up to me, the first thing they say is something about my weight. Eileen, well…she just smiled at me and introduced yourself. She doesn't really seem bothered by my size at all."

"Well, that's good." Lance nodded. "Not everyone judges by looks, you know."

"Yeah, but when you're me, it does seem that way." Fred sighed.

"Man, I still can't believe that you still have those issues, even after all these years." Lance shook his head.

"Those things don't go away easy, Lance." Fred told his brown-haired friend. "Especially if you have reason to have those issues." He sighed. "I know the way I look is not my fault, and I can't help my mutation, but…" Fred blinked for a minute and grimaced. "It still bothers me a lot."

"Ah well, I've had that problem with Kitty's family myself." Lance chuckled in understanding. "They thought I looked like a hood."

"Hmm. Rosey's parents thought I was nice." Fred remembered. "God, it was hard for me to face them again since Rosey died. I felt like I did something horrible."

"Freddy, it wasn't your fault." Lance reassured. "Why are you thinking like this?"

"Eileen, I guess." Fred shrugged. "She reminds me a lot of Rosey."

**The Xavier Institute**

Kurt Wagner sighed as he walked out towards the back of the Institute's grounds. He was carrying a couple bouquets of flowers.

"Man, I really dislike doing zhis." The German mutant sighed. He walked over towards a couple of grave stones. He looked at the names on them. "Jonothan Starsmore, aka Chamber. Kevin Ford, aka Wither." Kurt sighed. "At least you two are in a better place." He looked at a couple pots that were sitting in front of each of the tombstones. Each of the pots contained wilting flowers. "Just came by to replace ze flowers, gentlemen." Kurt put down the bouquets he was holding.

"Hey, Kurt." A familiar voice greeted. Kurt looked up and saw the golden-skinned mutant Josh Foley, aka the Omega-Level mutant healer called Elixir. "Checking on the guys?"

"Ja." Kurt sighed with a nod. "It's sad that they are no longer with us."

"Yeah." Josh sighed. "It is. I wish I could've been able to save them."

"You were barely able to save Paige." Kurt told Josh.

"I know." The gold-skinned mutant sighed. "I feel terrible though about not being able to save Jono. The poor guy had a real thing for Paige."

"Vell, hopefully…" Kurt smiled slightly at the sky. "He's in a better place."

"Yeah, you seem to have gotten some of that old faith back." Josh chuckled. Kurt smiled.

"Ja. Keeping an eye on Danielle has really helped me out of my slump." Kurt shrugged, still smiling. "Vould you like to help me replace zese flowers?"

"Yeah, sure man…what?" Josh noticed something odd.

"Josh…Vhat is it?" Kurt wondered.

"K-k-kurt…" Josh stammered, backing away. "Take a look around." The German mutant blinked before he noticed the grass in front of the graves seemed to flicker and distort, as if the grass was part of a television image.

"Vhat…?" Kurt wondered out loud as he looked at the ground. The grass in front of the two mutants' graves continued to flicker and distort, until it vanished, revealing bare ground. "Was ist das…?" **(1)**

"Oh my God…" Josh backed away in shock. "No way…no way…"

"I think ve had better get ze Professor…" Kurt stammered in shock.

**Downtown Los Angeles, California**

_**SMASH!**_

A roaring Ace Starr found himself flying right through a wall and flying into a car spine-first.

"ARGH!" The young feral exclaimed as his healing factor fixed him right up. "Oooooh, That hurt." The robot marched out after him. "What is your problem?" The robot pointed hits right arm at Ace. The arm morphed into a Gatling gun. The feral's chocolate brown eyes widened. "Uh oh!" The robot started firing bullets at Ace at an incredible rate. "YEOW!" The feral ducked behind car as it got torn up by bullets. "Alright. That's it…" Ace's claws started to glow bright blue. "Nobody, but _nobody_, wrecks my night out and gets away with it in one piece!" Ace peeked up, and let his blue claw lasers fly. The lasers slammed into the robot, blasting its arms off. The robot cocked its head.

"The master wishes your termination." The robot told the feral.

"Well, whaddaya know?" Ace smirked. "You _can_ talk. That's good. Fights are always more fun when trash talk is being traded."

"I have been programmed to carry out the master's desire to eliminate you." The robot told the feral. "I am not programmed to fail.

"Oh, you're no fun." Ace smirked. He noticed black shadow-like tendrils erupting from the robot's damaged shoulders. The tendrils were covered in glowing electronic green lines like the ones on a circuit board. "What in the-?" Ace blinked. The tendrils grabbed the robot's damaged arms and reattached them. The tendrils also grabbed the car Ace was hiding behind, and started to take them apart.

"I cannot be defeated." The robot stated in its cold, mechanical voice as it took the car apart and used the parts to repair itself.

"Whoa." Ace blinked. "This sounds like something Kyle would like to fight." The feral watched in awe as the robot repaired and modified itself. "Who built you?"

"My master." The robot answered. "That is the last thing you will hear." The robot started firing lasers at Ace.

"I don't think so!" Ace growled, using his superior agility and reflexes to dodge the robot's laser blasts, leaping behind a fire hydrant. "Who built you, you Six Million Dollar Junk Heap?" One of the laser blasts hit a power line, causing the sparking line to hit the ground. The feral mutant noticed the line with a nearly-imperceptible glance

"Surrender and be destroyed."

"Ah, destroy this!" Ace snarled, firing his claw lasers again. The robot formed a shield over its arm and used it to block the lasers. "Ah, crud!" The robot fired a missile. "Uh oh. WAH!" Ace rolled to the side, and the missile hit a fire hydrant. A geyser of water erupted from the wrecked hydrant. "Holy macaroni!"

"You cannot escape me forever." The robot chanted. Ace narrowed his eyes.

_Awfully cocky for a robot._ The feral frowned. "Who are you?"

"I am merely a servant of the master." The robot told the feral. "He wishes to send you a message."

"And what's that? 'I want you dead'?" Ace smirked. "Quite a suspect list. I got a lot of guys who want me six feet under. Not to mention that every anti-mutant group on Earth wants a piece of me."

"They will rise again." The robot fired another missile.

"What?" Ace whispered to himself, just barely dodging the missile in time. The missile hit the wall behind him, causing it to explode and collapse. The mutant musician grabbed a piece of metal and used it to deflect the geyser stream from the wrecked hydrant towards the robot. The robot was pushed into a car thanks to the geyser. Ace then grabbed the downed power line.

"Hey buddy, I hope you can help me answer a question: Do robots go to Heaven?" Ace stuck the power line into the jet of water, causing it to become electrified. The jet electrocuted the robot, and it started to convulse.

"I-I-I am-am not-not p-p-p-program-gram-gram…" The robot stammered as small explosions erupted from it. "Fail-fail-fail-!"

**_KABOOM!_**

The robot exploded, sending parts everywhere. Ace ducked down to shield himself. He then slowly looked up, and saw a glob. A black pulsating glob decorated with electronic green glowing lines like on a circuit board. The feral mutant blinked.

"…I'd better call Fury. And Freddy."

**_Next: Discovery_** _Ace's find leads to a shocking discovery, and something strange is going on in the California desert…_

**(1) - German for, essentially, "What is this?"**


	15. Discovery

**Viral Vengeance**

Disclaimer: "No man in the world that can deal with the Big Show one-on-one." – Tazz

Chapter 15: Discovery

**The SHIELD Helicarrier**

"Ugh…what a night…" Ace Starr groaned. The feral mutant was helping himself to a snack at the Helicarrier's cafeteria. "Man, I was on my way to gettin' with this smokin' hot redhead, and a rogue robot has to come and wreck everything! I hate robots!" Ace sulked as he sat down next to a SHIELD Agent.

"Only with this organization, huh?" The agent smirked.

"Yup." Ace nodded. He turned his head and noticed that the agent was a blonde woman. The heroic feral raised an eyebrow.

"I haven't seen you around here, babe." The feral smiled.

"I'm new." She shrugged.

"How'd you like me to take you out to a 'Welcome to SHIELD' dinner?" The feral smirked. The agent smiled and shook her head.

"Oh yeah, I heard about you." The female agent chuckled. "They say you have a way with the women."

"Meh, I've dated my fair share." Ace chuckled.

"Ha! Yeah, right!" Another agent laughed. He couldn't help but overhear. "Lady, let me tell you something about this particular member of Freedom Force. He goes through women like the rest of us go through underwear."

"Ah, shaddap." Ace sneered teasingly. Luckily, the feral hero was spared any further embarrassment when another agent walked up to him. "What's up?"

"The lab would like to see you now." The agent told him. Ace sighed.

"Ah, time to work again, I guess." The laid-back mutant sighed. "See you around, babe." Ace winked at the female agent, making her giggle a little bit. "Still got it, Wildstar." Ace chuckled to himself as he followed the agent who summoned him out. "So, what'd they find out about that blob thingy I gave them?"

"Did you recognize anything about the…'blob thingy' as you like to call it?" The agent wondered. Ace scrunched his face in thought.

"Well, to be honest, a little bit." Ace frowned. "The markings were electronic green and resembled the lines on a computer chip. So?"

"Well, we discovered DNA on the blob." The agent told him.

"DNA?" Ace blinked. "Who's?"

"Well, we've identified it as extra-terrestrial." The agent told the feral. The feral blinked.

"As in aliens?" Ace clarified.

"Yup." The agent confirmed with a nod. "In particular, Technarc. There's also some human DNA in it. We're currently working on getting a match."

"Technarc DNA?" Ace frowned. "Warlock…" He pulled out his cell phone. "Oh, those X-Folks are gonna _love_ this…"

**The Brotherhood House**

_Bbbbbb! Bbbbbbb!_ The phone rang.

"Hang on! Hang on!" Fred Dukes exclaimed as he ran to the phone. "Don't hang up! Don't hang up!" He managed to get to the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Freddo." Ace greeted on the other end.

"Hey Ace." Fred smiled. "What's up, buddy?"

"Something interesting happened to me last night." Ace told the powerhouse mutant.

"What, you went out and dated a bunch of women?" Fred quipped with a chuckle.

"Nope." Ace chuckled himself. "Well, yeah. But there was a twist. I got attacked by a robot."

"A…a what?" Fred blinked. "Did I hear that right? A robot?"

"Yeah, you heard me right. A robot." Ace nodded. "I couldn't believe it myself, and I was there! Anyway, long story short, I whupped the robot's butt. Well, after it went kablooie, I found a…blob thingy in it."

"Blob thingy?" Fred blinked. "…You're not making fun of me, are you Ace?"

"No, you big goofball." Ace rolled his chocolate brown eyes. "That's what the thing I found was. It was controlling the robot. It was black and had green electronic lines, like on a circuit board."

"So, what is it?" Fred blinked.

"Well, whatever it is, it's alive. Or at least has DNA." Ace told him.

"So?" Fred blinked. "Can't you just use that stuff to find out who did this?"

"Yeah. But here's the thing…" Ace sighed. "The DNA is partially Technarc."

"Technarc?" Fred's eyes widened. "Are you saying Warlock has something to do with this?"

"Well, maybe he can shed some light, being a Technarc himself and all." Ace shrugged.

"Alright, I'll go over and talk to him." Fred nodded. "Thanks a lot for calling me."

"No problem, buddy." Ace grinned. "And don't worry, pal. I'll say hi to Eileen for you." He hung up with a grin. Fred sighed and shook his head.

"Ah, well. I guess I had better go speak to the X-Men." Fred got his jacket. "Ah, well. At least I can check out that new Korean place I heard about last week. I've been meaning to go down there…" He thought to himself as he left the house.

**The Xavier Institute**

"My God…" Professor Charles Xavier stammered in shock. "I…I…I cannot believe this." He and the rest of the X-Men were standing around the graves of Wither and Chamber. "This is horrible."

"Who would do this?" Scott Summers, the optic-blaster codenamed Cyclops frowned. "If this were a decade or so back, I'd say the Brotherhood."

"Oh please, Scott." The redheaded telepath/telekinetic named Jean Grey-Summers sighed. "This would a _little_ bit ghoulish for them. Besides, even at their worst, they never would do this."

"Some things never change, I guess." Magneto, the white-haired mutant magnetism manipulator, chuckled to himself. Scott shot him a deadpan look.

"Ugh. All these years, and I still get no respect." Scott shook his head.

"Who would've done this?" Kitty Pryde, the brown-haired phaser called Shadowcat wondered.

"I guess I came at a bad time, then." A voice said.

"What're you doing here, Fred?" Scott wondered.

"I came here to talk to…" Fred started to explain, when he noticed the two graves. "What happened here?"

"We think somebody messed around with Wither and Chamber's graves." Jean explained.

"Ah, geez." Fred winced. "I'm real sorry about that."

"It wasn't your fault, Fred." Kitty sighed. "I believe somebody would do this."

"There are some really sick people in this world." Jean shook her head.

"Yeah, but the thing is, only Kevin and Jono's families know about their being buried here." Scott added. "Neither family wanted them buried at their plots because of the fact they were mutants."

"Did you guys dig them up and see if they were still in their coffins?" Fred offered. "Because I heard from the West Coast team today."

"What do you mean?" Magneto blinked.

"Well, you know about Theresa and Nightshift, right?" Fred reminded.

"Oh, God…" Scott sighed. "Yeah. That was terrible. Thanks to Sauron, Jono, Kevin, and Theresa lost their lives."

"Poor Jamie left the Institute after that." Kitty shook her head. "I heard he's really in a slump."

"If it makes you feel any better, Bobby's been keeping an eye on him." Fred told the X-Men. "The Iceman said that he can sympathize with what Jamie's going through. Anyway, I heard that somebody dug up Theresa and made off with her body."

"Oh, my God…" Kitty blanched.

"What is going on here?" Doug Ramsey, the mutant translator codenamed Cypher, wondered as he walked outside. "I was doing some repairs when I heard noise."

"Hello, Cypher." Blob waved. "I wanted to speak to Warlock."

"Why?" Cypher blinked. "He hasn't done anything wrong, has he?"

"No, no." Fred shook his head. "I was investigating some strange thefts in LA and I think Warlock may be able to shed some light on it."

"But Warlock was here this whole time." Doug blinked. "He's never even _been_ to LA."

"Yeah, but…" Fred started to counter.

"Wait, Siryn's body was stolen, and you think Wither and Chamber's were, as well?" Scott asked Fred. The blond mutant was about to speak his opinion when he was interrupted.

"Hang on, folks." The Cheyenne mutant known only as Forge announced as he walked out with some kind of scanner. It resembled and early 20th century camera mixed with a modern digital camera. "This gadget I invented should do it."

"Do what, blow up in your face like everything else?" Magneto quipped.

"Ha ha ha." Forge rolled his eyes. "Now stand back and let me work." He started to use the device to scan over the graves.

"I really hate being interrupted." Fred sighed, crossing his arms. "Just tell me where Warlock is, please."

"Guys…Fred's hunch was right." Forge winced. "They're not buried. They're gone."

**The California Desert**

California was a state known for its weather. It was always balmy and hot. However, there were areas of the state that were like a desert. In one desert, there was a road going across it. On that road was a car, and in it were two guys, one with a green hat, who was driving, and the other was a guy with a tie-dye shirt.

"Man, what a ride, dude." Green Hat grinned.

"Yeah." Tie-dye shirt agreed. "Only a short while longer to LA, baby! Then we'll achieve our dreams!" He then noticed something. "Hey, dude. What's that?" Green Hat narrowed his eyes at the object that was at a very far distance away from the road as it passed by. He wasn't able to get a good look due to the distance and speed it passed by.

"Probably a mirage." Green Hat shrugged.

**_Next: Inquiry_** _While Fred Dukes speaks to Warlock, the X-Men try to figure out who stole the bodies of their deceased teammates._


	16. Inquiry

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "Just the facts, ma'am."**

Chapter 16: Inquiry

**The** **Xavier Institute**

"Uh, Warlock…" Fred asked as he looked around the hall. He peeked into a room. "Oh." He saw the Technarc prince sitting in the Rec Room, watching TV. Warlock looked like a living barely-human shaped alien that was black, but had yellow lines all over his body. His Technarc nature gave him incredible shapeshifting abilities. With him was his life-mate Doug Ramsey. Doug was a blond mutant codenamed Cypher, for his mutant ability to understand any language. Cypher was holding a little baby that appeared to have yellow skin, with black lines on his body. His solid white eyes were closed, because the baby was sleeping. The baby was named Douglock. The two looked up.

"Hey, Fred." Doug smiled. "How's it going, man?"

"Uh, things are fine." Fred answered, looking at Warlock. Freddy had a few issues with the Technarc race in the last year. For a while, the powerhouse mutant secretly blamed Warlock for the death of his girlfriend Rosemary, reasoning that if Warlock never came to Earth in the first place, Magus would've never had to come to Earth to get him. It was irrational, but Fred couldn't help it. He eventually managed to get over his issues, though. Despite that, seeing Warlock still made him a little uncomfortable. "I just wanted to talk to Warlock in private for a second."

"Uhm…" Doug blinked. "Okay." Warlock got up and he and Fred left the room. The two walked out of the room, and into the kitchen. Fred took a seat at the table, and Warlock sat at the counter.

"Self-Friend Fred, I am confused." Warlock blinked. "What does Self-Friend Fred want to talk to Self about?" Fred sighed.

"Well, Warlock…" The blond mutant started. "A friend of mine was in Los Angeles last night."

"Which one?" Warlock wondered.

"Ace Starr. Wildstar." Fred answered. "You know, he's on the west coast Freedom Force team?" Warlock nodded in understanding. "Well, he was attacked last night." Warlock covered his hand with his mouth, gasping in shock.

"Is Self-Friend Ace alright?" Warlock inquired in concern. "Self hopes he is not hurt!"

"Don't worry, Warlock." Fred smiled in reassurance. "Ace is fine. He's tough. That healing factor of his is as powerful as Wolverine's. He's okay. Thanks to him, no one was hurt."

"What happened?" Warlock queried.

"Well, Ace was attacked by a crazed robot. He described as built from a bunch of car parts." Fred explained. Warlock scratched his head.

"I am confused. This does not adequately explain what this has to do with Self."

"Well, Ace destroyed the robot before it could hurt anybody, but…we found something." Fred told the alien.

"Found what?" Warlock wondered.

"Well…" Fred sighed. "We found this blob thing…It seemed to be electronic, but…we found DNA in it."

"DNA?" Warlock blinked. "Who?"

"Technarc." Fred answered simply. Warlock's jaw dropped.

"_Technarc?_" Warlock gasped.

"Yeah." Fred nodded. "You're the only Technarc I know, so…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Warlock shook his head and hands. "You cannot believe that _Self_ had anything to do with this! Self was _never_ anywhere near Los Angeles last night! Self was with Life-Mate Doug! Ask him!"

"What's going on here?" Doug walked in.

"Self-Friend Fred thinks Self attacked Self-Friend Wildstar last night!" Warlock exclaimed.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…" Fred tried to defuse the situation.

"He couldn't have attacked Ace." Doug blinked. "He was with me last night. Why, is Ace alright?"

"Ace is fine. He was attacked by a robot." Fred explained. "It contained a blob that had some sort of electronic stuff. It appeared to be controlling the robot. It had Technarc DNA in it. I wanted to speak to Warlock because I hoped he could shed some light on it."

"Really?" Doug blinked. "Well, Technarcs do have DNA. They are partially organic. If they weren't, we wouldn't have had little Douglock."

"I'm just saying that Technarc DNA was found." Fred repeated. "I never said it was Warlock's. I don't think Warlock attacked Ace. Besides, the lines don't match."

"Lines?" Doug blinked.

"The lines on the blob thing." Fred explained. "They looked like the lines on Warlock's body, only they were green."

"Green?" Warlock frowned.

"Yeah." Fred answered. "Is that odd?"

"Yeah, that's very odd." Doug nodded.

"The yellow lines on a Technarc's body are an indication of health, Fred." Warlock explained. "Yellow is the normal color. It indicates the Technarc equivalent of healthy."

"When a Technarc's lines turn white, that means really healthy." Doug added with a grin. Fred blinked.

"…I…don't want to know what you mean by that." Fred shook his head.

"Green is not a normal color for a Technarc's lines." Warlock shook his head. "When a Technarc gets sick, the lines turn blue, and if they start to die, the blue lines fade to black."

"So a Technarc's lines never turn green." Fred concluded.

"No, they don't." Doug shook his head. "Well, they probably do turn green on the way from shifting from yellow to blue, but they never turn green and stay green."

"Did the lines on the blob thing turn blue?" Warlock wondered. Fred scrunched up his face as he thought about it.

"Hmmm…no. To be honest, I never asked Ace about that. I didn't think that was important. I assumed the lines never changed color."

"Huh." Doug thought about it. "That is very odd." He then remembered something. "I'd better get little Douglock to bed. It's his naptime." He smiled as he left.

"Yeah, I'd better get going myself. I'm on a case." Fred started to get up.

"You know, Self-Friend Fred…" Warlock smiled. "This is the most you have spoken to me in a year. Self hardly sees you anymore."

"Well…" Fred sighed. "It's complicated."

"Self has an idea why." Warlock sighed. "You hardly spoke to Self since Magus." Fred sighed.

"Well, 'Lock…" Fred admitted. "Let's just say…I had some issues with you."

"Issues? With Self?" A puzzled Warlock repeated.

"Well, yeah." Fred scratched the back of his head shamefully. "I kinda had issues with you after Rosey died." Warlock bowed his head.

"Self sees." Warlock realized. "You blamed self."

"…Yeah. I did." Fred admitted shamefully. "It was just…Magus came to Earth because he was after you, you know. If you never came to Earth, Magus wouldn't have came, and Rosey would still be alive. That's how I figured it, you know."

"Yes. Self can understand that." Warlock nodded. "Self doesn't hold a grudge. Self understands why you felt that way."

"Mm-hmm." Fred nodded. "That's why I avoided you all this time. I didn't know what I'd do if I was in the same room as you. I was kinda mad at you for a while. I've gotten pretty much over that now, but I still feel a little uncomfortable about it." Warlock nodded.

"Self-Friend Fred, Self is very sorry about Rosey." Warlock apologized sincerely, placing a hand on the larger mutant's shoulder. "When Self landed on Earth, Self didn't intend to get anyone hurt. Self was just as surprised by Magus coming as you were. Self had hoped that Magus had given up on the search for Self."

"Yeah, I understand." Fred nodded.

"Self blamed Self too, Self-Friend Fred." Warlock told him. "Self thought the same things Self-Friend Fred did. That if Self never came here, then Self-Friend Rosey would still be alive."

"Yeah. I know now that it wasn't your fault, 'Lock." Fred nodded in understanding. "I just wanted you to know why I avoided you for the past year. I didn't want to end up doing something I'd regret." Fred sighed. "I thought I outgrew my old ways."

"Self thinks Self-Friend Fred did." Warlock smiled. "Self-Friend Fred had irrational anger, but Self-Friend Fred recognized it and dealt with it. That is a sign of great maturity. Self-Friend Fred realized that Self was not at fault for death of Life-Mate Rosey, nor did Self intend it. Self is not angry at Self-Friend Fred." Fred smiled at that.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I did." Fred chuckled. "It was harder for me because I was always self-conscious about how I looked. Rosey was one of the few people who didn't think I was fat and stupid."

"Self-Friend Fred always too hard on himself." Warlock chuckled. "Self-Friend Fred has good heart. It'll get you new Life-Mate one day. You'll see." Fred smiled.

"Maybe you're right, 'Lock. Maybe you're right."

**_Next: Puzzled_** _The X-Men try to figure out who stole their deceased teammates' bodies, and another shocking discovery is made._


	17. Puzzled

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "Hey, whose gum is this?"**

Chapter 17: Puzzled

**The** **Xavier Institute**

Fred Dukes walked out of the Xavier Institute, feeling a whole lot better about himself.

_Man…_ The blond powerhouse Texan smiled to himself. _I'm glad I got a chance to get that out of my system._ He sighed. _I miss you, Rosey…_

**The Bayville Cemetery**

Fred Dukes walked over to the grave marker that he had spent time visiting over the past year. He looked at the name on it.

"Hey Rosey…" Fred smiled, taking a seat on the ground. He looked at the marker. There was no body, as Rosey was essentially eaten by Magus. "I still miss you, you know. I know there's nothing in the ground, but I still like to think your spirit made it to a good place."

"Hey, buddy." A familiar voice greeted. Fred sat up and turned his head. He smiled at the sight of a friend of his.

"Hey, Aceman." Fred smiled, giving Ace a hug.

"Came to see your ex?" Ace noticed.

"Yeah." Fred nodded. "You think she's in a good place? She died in space, so…"

"I'm sure she made it." Ace shrugged. "Did Warlock help?"

"Not really." Fred shook his head. "He was really puzzled by the line colors. According to him, Technarc lines are never normally green. When a Technarc is healthy, the lines are white or yellow. They turn blue if a Technarc gets sick, they turn blue, and when they die, they turn black. I mean, I'm sure they turn green on the way from turning blue, but…"

"Yeah, I get what you mean." Ace nodded. "The lines were green. They stayed green as far as I know." He noticed Fred staring at Rosey's grave. "You okay?" There was a pause as Fred just stood there silently, staring at the grave.

"…Yeah." Fred answered. "I did speak to Warlock. I was afraid I was still mad at him."

"Yeah, I remember." Ace nodded. "There was a time when you wanted to rip Warlock in half. It wouldn't have really hurt him, considering the fact he survived Bobby freezing and shattering him."

"Yeah. I handled it better than I thought it did." Fred smiled. "I told him about what I went through in the past year."

"And…?" Ace pressed.

"Well, Warlock was cool about it." Fred smiled. "He wasn't mad."

"Yeah, I can't imagine Warlock being mad." Ace chuckled.

"He said something to me before I left." Fred remembered. "He said to me that I could find someone new." He looked up at Ace. "Do you think he's right? I mean, I…"

"I'm sure he is, bro." Ace chuckled. "Rosey couldn't be the only person on Earth that can see beyond your blubber."

"I hope he is." Fred looked at Rosey's grave. "I just hope that Rosey won't mind if I do meet someone new."

"I'm sure she'd be cool with it." Ace put a hand on Fred's shoulder. "She'd be very glad that you found happiness again." Fred smiled.

"Yeah, you're right." Fred agreed. He then lifted his head. "You know, I just realized something."

"What is it, Freddy?" Ace blinked.

"Well, the blob thing you found, it had green lines like on Warlock's body, right?" Fred tried to clarify. Ace nodded.

"Yeah, but the lines looked more like circuit lines." Ace clarified.

"Right." Fred nodded. "Remember back when we and Eileen were attacked by those robots?"

"Yeah…" Ace blinked. "You said you saw a figure. Looked human, but solid black."

"And had glowing green lines like on a circuit board." Fred added. Ace immediately put two and two together.

"There's gotta be a connection, man. There's got to be."

"I think there is." Fred agreed. "Whoever that figure is, is behind these raids or involved in them somehow. But I get the feeling we know him from somewhere, but can't quite place it…"

**The Xavier Institute**

The senior staff of the Xavier Institute were sitting in Professor Charles Xavier's office, debating their earlier discovery.

"Well, who have we got for suspects?" Scott Summers, the optic blaster codenamed Cyclops, inquired from his seat.

"We got quite a few enemies." Erik Lensherr, the magnetic manipulator called Magneto, reminded the younger mutant.

"Yeah, but who knows about the deaths of Kevin and Jono?" The Native American mutant inventor/shaman known only as Forge countered.

"Only their families." Ororo Munroe, the Kenyan weather-manipulating mutant called Storm, remembered. "Their families didn't want them buried in their plots, so we buried them at the Institute."

"And it's not like the Friends of Humanity or anyone else would want a dead mutant's body." Hank McCoy, the blue-furred bouncing Beast, scratched his chin.

"Maybe somebody stole their bodies for experiments." Warren Worthington III, the high-flying white-winged Angel, suggested. The senior staff all looked at him weirdly. "What? Oh come on! It's been done!"

"Yeah, but why _them?_" Logan, the Canadian metal-clawed feral mutant codenamed Wolverine, wanted Warren to elaborate. "First, they'd have to know they were dead."

"I don't like this." Scott sighed. "I really don't. Two bodies are missing, and all we have are a couple holographic projectors."

"I better get down to the lab and take a look at them, then." Forge got up and started to leave.

"I hope you find something." Ororo smiled at her husband as he left.

"Ah, don't worry. I'll find something." Forge chuckled. He then heard an explosion. "Oh no…"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I am so sorry!" The voice of Josh Foley, the gold-skinned Omega-level mutant codenamed Elixir, was heard yelling over and over. "Oh God! Oh God oh God oh God oh God!" Forge groaned.

"Aw man…" Forge groaned. "Josh, what'd you do this time?"

**Freedom Force HQ**

Lila Cheney sat in the kitchen, sipping on a cup of coffee.

"I see that things haven't changed that much." An accented voice remarked. The interstellar teleporter looked up and saw a man in his 20s. His features were Asian, his dark hair cut short. He was also dressed in a three-piece suit with a dark red tie. Lila couldn't believe it.

"Shiro!" She exclaimed, jumping up and hugging her former teammate. "My God! What a surprise."

"It is good to see you as well, Lila." Shiro smiled, returning the hug.

"What brings you here, Sunfire?" Lila wondered.

"I came to visit some friends." Shiro explained. "I hope you did not mind." A certain black-haired Italian-American girl walked into the room.

"Hey Gina! Look who's here!" Lila grinned, motioning to Shiro. Gina's face lit up.

"Shiro!" She ran towards her old friend, hugging him. Shiro's normally stoic face displayed a warm smile.

"It is good to see you again, little sister." Shiro smiled. Over the years, Shiro and Gina developed a bond like that of siblings. A few years ago, Gina was initiated into the Clan Yoshida, Shiro's family. It did wonders for the young woman, considering that she needed somewhere to belong. She needed a family, and she found two, one in the Japanese clan, and the other in an American team of heroes. "How have you been?"

"Oh, I've been doing just fine." Gina grinned. "We've been a bit slow when it comes to work lately, though."

"Yes, I quite remember those times." Shiro nodded. "You have really grown."

"Too bad you left, Shiro. I missed having you around." Gina told the Japanese plasma-wielder. Shiro nodded.

"I, as you Americans say, grew homesick." Shiro explained. "Are you still dating…him?" Gina chuckled and shook her head. She knew exactly who Shiro was talking about. Shiro and Thunderbolt never got along too well, and the Japanese mutant disapproved of the young Bostonian electrokinetic dating the girl Shiro considered a little sister. However, Shiro kept his opinions about it to himself. Gina could tell anyway, but she didn't hold it against him. She knew that deep down, underneath his temper and loud mouth, Kyle Wildfire was a good person.

"Yes, I am." Gina chuckled. "And we are very happy together."

"He's really a great guy to her, Shiro." Lila added. The man Gina was dating happened to walk into the kitchen. "Hey Kyle, look who's here!" Lila grinned. Kyle completely ignored the black-haired girl, instead going to the fridge and getting a bottle of soda. He then walked out, but not before giving Shiro the finger.

"Nice to see you back, Sushi." Kyle smirked as he left.

"Charming." Shiro frowned, crossing his arms.

"Kyle!" Gina snapped.

"What?" Kyle grinned. "I've been waiting a long time to do that again!"

**The SHIELD Helicarrier**

Nick Fury was in his office, looking through some paperwork.

"Ugh. I hate paperwork." Fury grumbled. "Times like this, I wish I was back in the war with the Howling Commandoes." A lab tech walked in. "What is it?"

"Sir…it's the blob thing Wildstar gave us." The lab tech held out a file folder. "We found human DNA in it. And we managed to match it." He gave the folder to the WWII veteran. Fury took the folder and opened it. His good eye widened.

"You are kidding me…"

**_Next: A Moment of Madness_** _Fun with the kids in Freedom Force!_


	18. A Moment of Madness

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "You fellas are sure gonna rip on me in school." – Leopold "Butters" Stotch, _South_ _Park_**

Chapter 18: A Moment of Madness

**The S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier**

"You are kidding me." Nick Fury read the file. "It can't be him."

"The human DNA matches, sir." The lab tech nodded. "Believe me, I was surprised too, sir. I did the test three times. It's him." Fury sighed.

"Well, doesn't that beat all." The WWII veteran grumbled. "I know a certain group of mutants that are going to _love_ to hear this!"

**Outside Los Angeles**

"Whooooooo!" Betsy Braddock, the purple-haired British telepathic ninja codenamed Psylocke, whooped as she stuck her head out the back seat window of a red pickup truck with orange-and-yellow flame graphics on the hood and sides on it. The girl was dressed in a black sweater and purple leather jeans. In the window in front of her, Jack McCormick, the Malibu-born animorph codenamed Beast King, was doing the same, only he was in the form of a large dog, and he was howling.

"Awooooooooooooo!"

"Oi! Watch it, Jack! You nearly got drool on me!" Betsy snapped.

"Bark!" Jack yapped apologetically.

"Hey, I'm trying to drive here!" Rusty Collins, the pyrokinetic mutant codenamed Firefist snapped from the driver's seat. He was clad in a black shirt with flames on it and blue jeans. "You can fight when we get there!"

"Oh, this is so exciting!" Sally Blevins, the forcefield generator codenamed Skids, grinned and clapped her hands happily. She was clad in a yellow t-shirt and a blue jean shorts. "I've never been to a drive-thru before." Jack stuck his head back in the car, changing back to his human form. The Malibu native was clad in his usual Hawaiian shirt and khaki cargo shorts, with his aviator shades on his head.

"You haven't, dudette?" Jack asked Sally. The blonde girl shook her head. "Oh, they are totally awesome, dudette! They play the movies on this huge screen, and you don't have to keep quiet during the movie!"

"I can't believe drive-ins still exist." Rusty blinked. "I didn't think they would still be around. I mean, it's not the Fifties anymore or anything."

"Nostalgia, I'll bet." Betsy surmised. "You Yanks love stuff from the past."

"Trust us, Betsy. You'll totally love it." Jack grinned.

"Oh, yes." Betsy smirked, crossing her arms. "Watching a giant screen with a hothead, a bubblehead, and a pothead."

"Watch it, Limey!" Rusty grumbled.

"Hey!" Jack and Betsy exclaimed.

"I'm not a bubblehead, dude!" Jack exclaimed. Betsy chuckled.

"Oh cheer up. You know I was joking. I just hope the food isn't too expensive."

"Why the hell are you worried about that?" Rusty grumbled. "It's not like you can't afford it."

"Theatre food is so fattening…" Betsy sighed. "All that butter and sugar…"

"Yeah, yeah." Rusty agreed with a smirk. "We can't give Jack candy. It'll make him go crazy with hyperactivity."

"Dude, one time! That was one time!" Jack glared at Rusty.

"Yeah, but it was a pretty hilarious time." Betsy snickered. "The poor Beast King raced all over the HQ like a bloody cheetah!"

"Uh, Betsy…Jack _was_ a cheetah." Sally reminded.

"And a stork, and a whale, and bull, and a boa constrictor…" Rusty snickered.

"Dude…" Jack moaned, putting his face in his hands.

"Hey Limey, remember when he turned into a spider and leapt into your hair?" Rusty snickered. "That was great!"

"That was not bloody funny! I bloody hate spiders!" Betsy snapped indignantly.

"Oh yes. I'm sorry Betsy, but it was funny." Sally giggled.

"My favorite part was when Betsy tried to squish Jack with a frying pan, but ended up knocking herself out with it." Rusty laughed. "That was great! She mumbled she was the Queen of Spain before her naptime started." Betsy muttered to herself and sank in her seat.

"Keep it up Collins, and you'll end up thinking you're the bloody Queen of France." Betsy grumbled.

"Now calm down, everyone." Sally held out her hands in a separating gesture towards Rusty and Betsy. "We're here to have some fun and watch a movie. Uh, what was it again?"

"I think it's called _Daytona Nights_." Jack remembered. **(1)**

"Oh yeah, I heard that movie was funny." Rusty blinked. "Alright! We're here!" The gang drove in on Rusty's truck.

"Oh, this is going to be great!" Sally grinned happily.

"Dude, I am totally gonna buy _so_ many goobers…" Jack grinned.

"You know, I never see goobers anywhere in stores or nothing. Just in theaters." Rusty realized.

"Yeah, you're right, dude." Jack agreed as the four emerged from the parked car. "I love goobers, man. I've been trying to find goobers everywhere, dude. But for some reason, you can only find them in theaters." Betsy and Sally watched the conversation.

"You know, it always amazes me what men find amusing conversation." Betsy told Sally.

"Whatever you say, Betsy." Sally shrugged. "I'm going to get me some snacks."

"Yeah, I'll come as well." Betsy agreed. "Maybe they'll have some chocolate."

"I thought you wanted to watch your figure." Sally blinked.

"Yeah, but chocolate is my Kryptonite." Betsy sighed. The two young mutants walked towards the refreshment stand. They went up to the counter and ordered some food and drinks.

"Hello, ladies." A voice greeted. The two girls turned and saw themselves being stared at by a teenage boy.

"Oh, hello." Sally smiled sweetly.

"Hey, girls! I tell you what. I got me a car, but no one to sit in it and watch the movie with me." The boy grinned cockily. "I was wondering if either one of you would like to watch the movie. Even better if it was both of you."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Sally apologized. "Betsy and I are already going to watch the movie with a couple friends."

"Oh, I don't know." Betsy smirked. "He's kinda cute."

"What about Mr. Drake?" Sally snickered. Betsy shrugged.

"If he can have a woman on the side, then I can have a man on the side. Only fair." Betsy shrugged.

"Uh Betsy, I hardly think that Iceman's relationship with Starway is considered an affair." Sally whispered.

"ERIC!" A feminine voice screamed.

"Oh, no…" The boy, Eric, moaned.

"Now I thought you said that you wanted company." Betsy snickered.

"Oh dear…" Sally sighed. An angry-looking blonde stomped up to the boy.

"Eric! I asked you to get some popcorn, and what do I see you doing? Messing around with some eggplant-haired Brit!" The blonde snapped.

"But Sheila, I was just making conversation!" Eric exclaimed.

"Oh, dear…" Sally winced.

"You little punk! You always have to let your eyes wander, don't you?" Sheila snapped. As she was yelling at Eric, Skids ordered and picked up a tray full of snacks.

"Well, we were just leaving anyway." Betsy shrugged as she noticed Sally take the food. "Ta." She waved at the two as she started to leave.

"Hey, you psycho! Knock it off!" Eric snapped as he was trying to get away from the angry Sheila, who was repeatedly trying to smack him upside the head, cursing at him. "Hey girls, help me!" He exclaimed. Sally nodded.

"Hey, what?" Sheila screamed. Sally used her powers to gently push her off of Eric.

"Wow. That was cool!" Eric grinned. "Thanks!" He ran off.

"ERIC!" Sheila screamed. "You come back here this instant, you two-timing piece of garbage!"

"Let's get out of here." Betsy winced. Sally nodded, and the two girls quickly ran back to the truck, and watched the movie with the boys, cracking jokes and laughing at the movie's funny moments.

"Oh, man! That movie was totally great, dude!" Jack grinned.

"Yeah." Rusty agreed. "That was a good movie."

"I didn't think I would enjoy a movie about race car drivers, but I did." Sally laughed.

"Bloody marvelous!" Betsy whooped. "We must see it again!"

"Yeah!" Jack agreed, hi-fiving Betsy. "Hey, we should totally get some more snacks, dude. There's another movie after this."

"Yeah, I'll go-!" Rusty started to leave the truck, when he heard someone banging against his truck. "Hey, what the-?"

"HEY EGGPLANT-HEAD! BLONDIE!" A familiar voice screamed. "GET THE HELL OUT HERE!"

"Oh, no." Betsy groaned.

"Huh?" Jack blinked. A knock was heard.

"No way!" Rusty screamed, looking out the window. "No!" He saw Sheila hitting his truck with a baseball bat. "Hey, knock that off, you psycho! That's my truck, dammit! You'll ruin the paint!"

"Get those man-stealing witches out here right now!" Sheila screamed in rage. "I'll knock their heads off for trying to steal my man!"

"Oh for the love of bloody-!" Betsy snapped as she emerged from the car. "Alright, Yank! We're gonna settle this!"

"Betsy! Get back in the truck!" Sally exclaimed.

"Let her go, Skids. At least it'll be easier on my truck. Aw God…" Rusty looked outside. "There better not be any dings in it!"

"Alright lady, let's just put the bat down." Betsy tried to calm Sheila down.

"My truck…" Rusty whimpered, shaking his head. "My poor truck…She didn't deserve this crap…Why?" Sally started patting his shoulder as the red-headed pyrokinetic started to cry.

"YAH!" Sheila swung the baseball bat at Betsy, intent on taking the purple-haired English girl's head off. However, Betsy was trained in martial arts, and she was no pushover. The Asian girl easily dodged Sheila's swings. "Hold still, you hag!"

"Coming from you, I consider that a compliment." Betsy smirked.

"Why you dirty-!" Sheila snarled, taking another swing. However, Betsy's reflexes were too quick. The telepath managed to catch the bat and wrap her arm around it, holding it close to her, Sheila still holding the bat.

"Hey!" The blonde exclaimed.

"Ki-yi!" Betsy broke the bat in half with one chop. "Now, just calm down. _He_ tried to proposition _me._ Now, you should go and talk to him and sort out these issues you two have-!"

"YAHHHHHHH!" Sheila tried to throw a punch. But again, Betsy's reflexes and training were too good. The British mutant managed to avoid the punch and reverse it into a judo-style throw, causing the blonde to end up flat on her back.

"Why is it that everywhere we go, a fight breaks out?" Betsy sighed. A panicked Rusty ran out and looked at his truck where Sheila hit it.

"Oh, thank you God! No dings!" He wiped his brow gratefully.

**_Next: Discovery_**_ A strange discovery. _

**(1) – A play on the movie _Talladega__ Nights._ I went to the drive-in with my father and sister for the first time to see this movie. It was great, and it inspired this chapter!**


	19. Another Discovery

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "You are correct, sir!" – Ed McMahon, _Johnny Carson_**

Chapter 19: Discovery

**Downtown LA**

Ace Starr whistled happily as he walked out of a convenience store, carrying several bags of chips, and a couple bottles of soda.

"_I wannnnt you to want me…_" The leonine feral started to sing. "_I neeeeeed you to need me…I'd loooove you to love me…I beeeeg you to beg me…_" Ace sang happily as he loaded up his car with the food. He turned around and knocked into someone.

"Whoa!" A feminine voice exclaimed.

"Yi-yi-yi!" Ace quickly regained his footing. "You better watch yourself, little lady…hey…"

"Oh…" Eileen Harsaw adjusted her glasses. "Hello, Ace."

"Hey there, Blondie." Ace grinned. "What're you doing here?"

"Well, I was in town to get some pizza." Eileen answered.

"Pizza?" Ace blinked. "Hey, I was just out to get some myself."

"Oh really?" Eileen blinked. "Well, I was getting something to eat." She then noticed something. "Where's Fred?"

"Blob's in New York." Ace remembered. "He lives across the country from here. Bayville, to be exact."

"Oh." Eileen blinked. "He's part of the Eastern Freedom Force team, correct?"

"Yeah, he is." Ace nodded. "But we have ways of getting around quick. I can't tell you." The feral mutant smirked. "If I did, my boss would be mad. You don't want to get him mad."

"I…see…" Eileen blinked. The blonde woman looked at the snacks Ace was loading. "You got a lot of food."

"Yeah, and I have to pick up some pizza myself." Ace chuckled. "It's for tonight."

"You having a party?" Eileen wondered.

"A tradition among all red-blooded American men." Ace explained sagely. We grab our buddies, buy lots of food, and watch the basketball game. Terrell and Kyle will be there as well."

"Oh, I see." Eileen rolled her eyes. "My dad is a football freak. Used to play it himself in high school."

"What team does he like?" Ace wondered.

"The Raiders…when they're in LA." Eileen rolled her eyes. Ace burst out laughing.

"Oh yeah, I hear that." Ace laughed. "Those guys move around more than a rabbit hopped up on Pixie Sticks."

"If you say so." Eileen rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm going to invite Fred over, too. He appreciates a good game." Ace chuckled.

"Oh…really?" Eileen blushed. The feral mutant couldn't help but notice it.

"Heh." Ace snickered. "Lookit you. You're blushing like a schoolgirl."

"No-no-no I'm not." Eileen quickly stammered, shaking her head.

"Yeah, you are." Ace snickered. "I mention Freddy, and your face becomes a tomato."

"I-I-I don't know what you're talking about." Eileen mumbled.

"Tell you what, babe…" Ace chuckled. "I know you ain't into that sports stuff, but I'm sure the Fredster would invite you to come watch the game with us. That's how he is."

"…Uhmmmmmm…" Eileen mumbled.

"Great! See you tonight!" Ace leapt into his car. "Here's the address." He handed Eileen a slip of paper. "It's a place I own in town. See ya!" The mutant known as Wildstar raced off, leaving a perplexed Eileen.

**In orbit around the Earth**

A satellite, one of the many satellites in orbit around the Earth, was taken over the Western United States thanks to its orbital path. However, a strange thing occurred. When it hovered over a certain point, a red laser beam flew from the earth and the satellite, vaporizing it. However, the destroyed satellite was emblazoned with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s logo.

**The S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier**

Nick Fury walked towards one of the labs onboard the Helicarrier, the lab tech behind him.

"Sir, I don't see what the point is to all of this." The lab tech sighed. "Sir, I didn't believe the results either, but it's true."

"I don't believe it, technician." Fury growled. "You weren't there."

"Well, if I may be so bold, neither were you, sir." The lab tech reminded.

"The guy is dead, technician." Fury warned. "Drake killed him over a half-decade ago."

"Yes, but are you sure?" The technician countered. "Remember sir, at the time, Iceman was mentally unstable."

"The kid may have been unstable, but he was sane enough to save the rest of Freedom Force, as well as those Nightshift guys." Fury reminded.

"Yes…" The technician nodded. "About this 'Nightshift' group…why have you never kept tabs on them? They have several powerful members. The one called Legion is a very powerful telepath/pyrokinetic, they have a size-changer, a…"

"They're no threat to anyone." Fury told the technician. "I read Karma's report on them. They just want to be left alone. They had no choice but to aid Freedom Force. They would've been all killed as well had Virus taken over the world."

"If you say so, sir." The technician sighed. "But going down to the lab and yelling at the scientists won't change things. Somehow…he lives." Fury blinked.

"You really think I spend my time yelling at scientists?" Fury frowned.

"Well, you do have a reputation for impatience, sir." The technician replied.

"It's not scientists I have problems with." Fury grumbled as he walked up to the door to the lab. "It's stupidity I have little time for." The WWII veteran and the technician walked in.

"Oh." One of the scientists, a familiar man, walked up to Fury. "Sir, how may I help you?"

"Dr. Winter." Fury shook the man's hand. **(1)**

"What brings you here, sir?" The scientist inquired.

"I read the results of your DNA scan." Fury explained. "Is it true?"

"Well, yes." Dr. Winter nodded. "The DNA does match that of one Vincent James."

"Terrific." Fury grumbled. "Freedom Force will love this."

"Well sir, that doesn't mean that Virus himself is alive." Dr. Winter explained. "Freedom Force has dealt with shapeshifters, clones, all kinds of stuff. There are quite a lot of ways for Virus's DNA to get into that thing."

"We also discovered Technarc DNA in the sample Wildstar provided." The technician reminded. Fury scratched his chin.

"Hmmm…Technarc DNA, huh? And according to the Blob, Warlock was nowhere near Los Angeles the night Wildstar was attacked." The head of S.H.I.E.L.D. thought out loud.

"The being called Warlock is the only known Technarc on Earth, sir." Dr. Winter reminded.

"The only _known_ Technarc, sir." The technician stressed. "Who's to say that there aren't any other Technarcs on Earth that we don't know about? According to Freedom Force, Technarcs possess shapeshifting powers. They're probably using them to disguise themselves as Earthmen." Fury frowned.

"But also, according to Freedom Force, Technarcs can't mask their appearance, just change shape. They're hardly Mystique." Fury frowned. "And Warlock himself…I've met him. He's hardly one for that alien invasion stuff. He is his planet's version of a mutant, thanks to his ability to actually have compassion for other lifeforms. He came here to escape his father."

"But none of this still explains Virus's DNA." Dr. Winter shook his head.

"Virus was a technopathic mutant." Fury remembered.

"Not to mention _psycho_pathic." The technician rolled his eyes.

"He had the power to interface and interact with electronics." Fury remembered. "Not to mention that damned inventing instinct he had. Maybe he left behind DNA in all the machines he possessed, like fingerprints." The debate was interrupted as an agent ran into the lab.

"Col. Fury! Col. Fury, sir! One of our satellites just got shot down over California!" The agent announced. Fury's good eye narrowed.

**_Next: Fun Night_** _Ace and the boys enjoy a night of fun._

**(1) – Dr. Winter was a minor character in "Black Ice"**


	20. Fun Night

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "I dunno if I could handle all this fame."- Eric Cartman, _South_ _Park_**

Chapter 20: Fun Night

**Ace's Apartment**

Ace generally resided in Freedom Force's headquarters, like the majority of the team. However, he also had his own place in Los Angeles that he stayed at whenever he needed some time away from the others. It was an upscale-looking place that was well-cared for.

"_I love rock 'n' roll! Put another dime in the jukebox, baby, I love rock 'n' roll!_" Ace sang as he put some soda in the fridge. His kitchen had silver appliances, and it was separated by a wall facing the living room. The kitchen wall pointing to the living room had a closable window, allowing someone in the living room to peek in. His apartment was very much like the typical bachelor pad, with various pictures on the walls, and many electronic gadgets. Ace's walls also had framed posters of classic rock bands, and himself with many celebrities, hung on the walls. "_Put another dime and dance with me!_" Ace whooped. He then heard a knocking at the door. "Alright!" The feral happily leaped across the apartment, landing at the door. Once he opened it…

"Hey, Aceman!" Bobby grinned, holding up his hand.

"Alright, Icemaker!" Ace grinned back, hi-fiving the cryokinetic. "I take it you were able to get a night away from a certain lovely Miss Cheney…"

"Lila had to rehearse tonight." Bobby explained. "I brought some dip."

"Hey, thanks." Ace took the container of dip. "Never can have too much dip. I taught you well, young padawan."

"If you say so, Ace." Bobby chuckled, taking a seat on a long blue couch. "When are the others coming? The game's going to be on in twenty minutes." A knock was heard. "Looks like I spoke too soon."

"You sure did, buddy." Ace opened the door.

"Got a couple kegs of beer." John Proudstar announced, carrying a couple kegs of beer…and some plastic cups.

"Hey, John!" Ace grinned. "Come on in and get those tapped."

"Alright!" John marched in and placed the kegs on the table.

"Hey, John." Bobby started to joke, looking at the powerful Apache mutant. "Is all that beer for everybody, or is it just for you?"

"Ha ha ha. I am laughing." John cracked.

"Uh…" Ace started. "I don't mean to be ungrateful for anything, because I actually quite am…but I had plenty of beer, John." Ace blinked.

"Yeah, but I figured more always helped." John smirked, tapping one keg. A third knock was heard at the door. Ace opened the door.

"Hey, Ace!" Terrell waved. "Am I on time, man?"

"Yeah you are, pal." Ace nodded. "Come on in."

"Have a beer, Mason. It'll do you good, man." John offered.

"No thanks, John. You know that I don't drink." The speedster took another seat on the couch.

"Thanks to your pop being a minister." John shrugged, getting back to his keg.

"Just keep in mind that the rest of us want beer." Bobby reminded jokingly.

"Ah, shaddap." John mock grumbled. Yet another knock was heard at the door.

"I got it!" Ace opened the door.

"Hey there, jabroni! I got the pizza!" Kyle walked in, carrying several boxes of pizza.

"Uh, Kyle…" Ace blinked. "I got pizza."

"Yeah, but more never hurt." The Bostonian mutant smirked. "Hey Johnny! You got the keg!"

"No alcohol for you, Kyle." Ace admonished. "You're still underage."

"Ah, crap!" Kyle grumbled. "You guys let me drink at the Toad's bachelor party!" **(1)**

"Yeah, because we wanted you to do something stupid…like try to outdrink Colossus." Bobby snickered with crossed arms.

"Colossus cheated!" Kyle snapped.

"Colossus is as big as a house." Terrell told the Bostonian electrokinetic. "The only one of us that could match him in drinking was John."

"Bah! I could outdrink that Russkie." John laughed. Another knock was heard.

"Again, I got it!" Ace opened the door, revealing a surprise guest. A skinny brown-haired Hispanic man, in his early twenties stood at the door. He was dressed in a Harley Davidson t-shirt, blue jeans, and a leather jacket. His brown hair was cut to a medium length. Ace's jaw dropped. "Oh…my…God…" Everyone turned to the door.

"Hey guys!" Julio Richter, the sonic generator codenamed Rictor, grinned widely. "I was in town, and I figured I'd pay a visit to some old friends."

"Rictor!" John's jaw dropped.

"Ric, ol' buddy!" Kyle and Terrell jumped up.

"Hey guys!" Rictor grinned, walking in. The Mexican mutant laughed as his former teammates showered him with handshakes and greetings. "How's it going?"

"Where were you, man? We lost contact with you." Bobby wondered.

"Well, I was back in Mexico, man." Rictor explained. "Dealing with some…business…" The other members of Freedom Force understood.

"Oh, right." Kyle nodded. "Well, glad to see you back, brother."

"It's great to be back." Rictor nodded. "I missed you guys."

"Hey, let's not get mushy, huh?" John snickered. "We got a game to watch!"

"Hey, fellas." Fred Dukes walked in.

"Who invited the eastern guy?" John demanded to know in mock outrage. "This is a west coast party!"

"I did." Ace grinned. "And I have another guest."

"Who?" Fred wondered out loud. Someone walked up behind him.

"Uhm, hello." A voice shyly greeted. "I didn't know what to bring here to this thing." Fred turned around and saw a shyly-smiling Eileen, holding a tray of finger vegetables. "Hello, everyone." John's jaw dropped.

"You don't bring vegetables to a football game, woman!" John exclaimed.

"Oh, leave her be, Thunderbird." Ace waved it off. "It's cool. I invited her. Eileen, that's Bobby Drake, Julio Richter, Terrell Mason, John Proudstar, and Kyle Wildfire." The boys waved and said their hellos. "Gentlemen, this is Eileen Harsaw, the owner of Harsaw Electronics."

"Actually, I'm not the owner yet, Ace." Eileen blushed. "My father still runs the company. He hasn't passed it on to me yet."

"Bet you can't wait for the day he passes it on, huh?" Kyle smirked. Eileen mumbled nervously.

"Ah, don't worry about it! Come on in!" Ace pulled the two in. "I'm sure I got some soda for ya, babe."

"I'll just have water, please. If it's not too much trouble." Eileen told the feral. She looked around. "Nice place."

"You didn't forget anything, did you?" Rictor reminded the feral.

"Nah!" Ace smirked. "This is a Wildstar party! I think of everything! And thank you. I love my décor." Eileen blinked at a framed photograph on the wall, depicting the grinning Ace and a certain men's magazine publisher. Fred noticed it too.

"Hey Ace, I didn't know you knew Hugh Hefner." Fred blinked.

"Family friend." Ace smirked.

**Some time later**

"No, you idiot!" John yelled at the TV. "No no no no NO! Run the other way! The OTHER WAY! AAAAGH!" He threw some popcorn at the TV.

"Hey, watch the TV, man!" Ace swiped at John. "That's a 36-inch plasma screen! It's very expensive!"

"I can't believe that moron ran to his _own team's_ endzone!" Terrell moaned, dropping his head into his hands. "Where did they _get_ this guy?!"

"This, you jabronis, is why the Patriots have been hot lately." Kyle smirked. "Every time the Pats faced the Raiders, the Raiders get knocked a little more stupid."

"How many safeties is this?" John groaned.

"Six, I think." Bobby remembered, sipping a soda.

"Seven." Kyle smirked triumphantly. "Well jabronies, looks like you owe the Thunderbolt another fifteen dollars."

"I ain't paying you squat!" John grumbled. "This game is one-sided."

"Ah relax, it could be worse." Rictor snickered. "The Raiders could not have scored at all."

"Yup. Listen to the little soundmaker." Kyle nodded in agreement.

"How did you convince Gina to let you out tonight, 'Bolt?" Rictor smirked.

"I used my raw macho appeal." Kyle snickered, puffing up his chest proudly. The other boys burst out laughing.

"Good one, Kyle!" Terrell laughed lightly.

"Yeah, pull the other one!" John guffawed.

"Man, I hate being the youngest." Kyle grunted, crossing his arms.

"Come on, fellas." Bobby chuckled. "Take it easy." Meanwhile, Eileen and Fred were off in a corner, watching the others.

"Look at them." Eileen smiled. "They all seem so close."

"Well, they all knew each other for years." Fred explained. "They're like family."

"Oh, but I'm sure that you and the other guys from the East Coast have met before." The EM manipulator blinked.

"Oh yes, we have." Fred confirmed. "We've met up several times. Sometimes members come over to help out with things."

"Oh." Eileen nodded in understanding. She looked at the laughing Freedom Force members. "They seem to be enjoying themselves. Is this what you guys do when you're not facing villains?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Fred shrugged. "The benefits are awesome as well."

"I…see…" Eileen nodded. "You know, you've been telling me a lot about the team. Just out of curiosity, why are you telling me about all this stuff?"

"Well…" Fred smiled shyly. "I was kind of hoping that you could join up." The large mutant explained honestly. Eileen's jaw dropped.

"_M-Me?_" She stammered. "Uhm, why? I-I-I'm not exactly the superhero type."

"Well, I'm not either." Fred admitted. "But I noticed you do have some troubles with your powers."

"Well, my powers aren't exactly perfectly controlled." Eileen admitted with a chuckle. "I have been working on them, but they sometimes go a little haywire."

"I understand what that's like." Fred nodded. "I had trouble getting a hold of my powers when they first emerged, too." He then smirked proudly, putting his hand on the toaster. "But nowadays, I have a perfect hold on them." He accidentally crushed the toaster. "D'oh!" Eileen started giggling.

"Oh, my…" The blonde giggled. "I'm so sorry, Fred. Hee hee hee."

"Oh yeah, laugh it up." Fred mock groused. "Aw, man. Ace is gonna kill me." He listened to the arguing and laughing from Ace's living room, but it got interrupted.

"Hey, Fred! Fury's calling!" Ace yelled.

**_Next: Something Wicked This Way Comes_** _Nick Fury summons Freedom Force to check out something in the California desert. And it leads to more shockers!_

**(1) – See "Gifts and Curses"**


	21. Something Wicked this Way Comes!

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "YES!" - Marv Albert**

Chapter 21: Something Wicked This Way Comes

**The SHIELD Helicarrier**

Nick Fury sat in his office on the SHIELD Helicarrier, looking over the file he had. The file contained the results of the tests he obtained from the lab boys.

_It can't be...it just...can't be..._ Fury read it several times, but the test results said something he didn't want to hear. He demanded that the lab boys run the tests again, but they had. Ten times, and the results were the same. But he had something else on his mind at this time. He put the tests down and looked at another file that was on his desk. He opened it up and read it. _Hmmm...a satellite crash..._ He narrowed his good eye, and pressed a button on the intercom on his desk. "Sally, call Freedom Force. I want the teams gathered up at their HQs...and get me a bottle of Scotch. A big bottle."

**Ace Starr's apartment, shortly before Fury's call**

"No no no no no no NO! AAAAAGH!" A frustrated John Proudstar screamed at the television. "You idiot! You're supposed to go the other way! The _other_ way! AAGH!" Eileen leaned over on the couch.

"Wow. John certainly is passionate about football, huh?" The blonde mutant whispered to Fred. The large mutant nodded.

"Yep. He sure is." Freddy nodded. "I just hope to God he doesn't start throwing stuff at the TV."

"Why?" Eileen wondered.

"Well, like me, John has super strength. He's got a mean throw." Fred explained. "Last time he threw pretzels at a TV, he wrecked it."

"My goodness." Eileen blinked.

"Yeah, the other guys were pissed." Fred chuckled. "They booted Thunderbird out of the headquarters until they got a new TV."

"Thunderbird, NO!" Ace snapped as they saw John about to throw an empty pizza box at the television. The other guys jumped on him and tried to hold him down.

"John, put the box down! Put it down!" Rictor ordered.

"Come on, Thunderbird!" Bobby warned. "Remember last time?"

"If I ever see that stupid halfback again, I will kill him!" John yelled.

"Fred, give us a hand!" Terrell exclaimed. "We can't hold him down forever!"

"Alright, fellas." Fred chuckled as he got up and helped restrain the furious Apache. Elieen smiled as she watched the guys go at it.

_Wow. Look at them._ The blonde woman smiled. _They're like a family. They're all like brothers, yet they're all so different. I guess I can see why Freddy likes being with these guys._

"Fred, get him out of the room and calm him down before he breaks my TV!" Ace told the large Texan.

"Okay, no problem." Fred nodded as he ushered Thunderbird away. "Come on, John. Let's get you some air."

"I hate that guy. I really do." John groaned.

"Yes, I know. You hate him..." Fred reassured.

"What was that about?" Eileen wondered.

"John's always been a bit of a hothead." Bobby sighed. "That's just the way he is. He and Thunderbolt have their moments."

"Oh, and what's that supposed to mean, jabroni?" Kyle frowned at the cryokinetic.

"You know what I mean, Blunderbolt." Bobby teased with a grin.

"Don't call me Blunderbolt, jabroni!" Kyle warned.

"Blunderbolt?" Eileen giggled, earning a glare from Kyle.

"Whenever Kyle does something dumb, we call him Blunderbolt. It's a joke on his codename." Terrell chuckled.

"I _really_ don't like it, jabroni." Kyle grumbled, crossing his arms indignantly.

"Sorry." Eileen apologized. "I didn't mean anything."

"You know, Eileen...I can't help but wonder." Bobby frowned. "I heard that you've been working with Wildstar and Blob. What's up?"

"Well..." Eileen sighed. "My dad owns Harsaw Electronics. Lately, there's been a bunch of thefts."

"Industrial espionage, perhaps." Terrell suggested, eating some chips. Eileen shook her head.

"No, no plans for anything were taken. Just components." Eileen explained.

"What kind of components?" Kyle blinked.

"Mostly like circuit boards, transistors, that kind of thing." Ace explained.

"Basically, simple stuff that is found in any electronic gadget. At least, that's what Eileen tells me." Fred answered, looking at the blonde. She nodded in confirmation.

"It's weird." She shook her head. "Whoever is behind the thefts is stealing components that are cheap, easily-made, and can be purchased anywhere."

"Maybe somebody isn't willing to shell out the money to fix their calculator." Kyle quipped.

"It doesn't make any sense." Eileen sighed. "I mean, if you wanted to steal electronic components, why didn't they go after any of the projects we're currently working on?"

"Maybe the thefts are a diversion." Bobby thought out loud. A ringing was heard.

"I got it." Ace opened his cell phone. "N'yello? Hulk's Deli. You order, we smash. How may I help you?" The feral's eyes widened. "Oh, man...alright." He closed his cell phone.

"What is it?" Rictor wondered.

"It's Fury. He wants us at HQ." Ace nodded. "I'd better call Shan."

"What's she up to, anyway?" Fred blinked.

"I think she accompanied her galpal to an audition." Ace remembered.

"Yeah, Beth always wanted to be an actress." Terrell chuckled.

**An office in LA**

Shan Manh, the Vietnamese mutant known as Karma, stood with her back to a wall. The young woman was dressed in a black sweater and blue jeans. She glanced at her watch, and looked at the door she was standing next to.

"Man, how long does an audition take?" Shan blinked. "It's for a soap commercial, not the remake of _Gone with the Wind_." The door opened, revealing another young woman with long dark blonde, almost brown hair with platinum blonde highlights, dressed in a red plaid miniskirt and a green t-shirt with white cowboy boots walked through. The Vietnamese woman smiled. "How'd it go, Beth?"

"I think it went well, Shan." The blonde girl, Beth, grinned. Beth Williams was a waitress, and an old friend of Shan's teammate, Terrell Mason/Velocity. After being introduced to Shan by her mutant friend, the two hit it off and started dating. "In fact..." She quickly looked around and then whispered to the mind-controller. "I think I'm a lock for the part." Shan's eyes widened.

"You think you'll get it?" Shan blinked.

"Oh yeah." Beth nodded. "I saw the ad guys's faces. They liked me the best."

"That's great!" A laughing Shan grabbed a squealing Beth in a hug. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Yeah, me too." Beth grinned. She heard a cell phone ring. "What was that?"

"Mine." Shan pulled out her cell phone and opened it up. "Hello? Okay...alright, I'll be there." She put her cell phone back.

"Who was it, babe?" Beth wondered.

"You-know-who." Shan answered. "I gotta go. I'm needed."

"Oh, okay." Beth nodded. "You still on for tonight?"

"Hopefully so." Shan grinned. "Take care, Beth." She gave the blonde a kiss on the cheek and then left.

**Freedom Force HQ**

The team were gathered around the living room of Freedom Force's HQ.

"You must be Eileen Harsaw." Shan smiled, shaking Eileen's hand. "I'm Shan Coy. I lead this team."

"Nice to meet you." Eileen grinned.

"Yeah, I heard Ace and Fred were investigating your case." Shan nodded. "How's it going?"

"Well, we haven't found any useful leads yet." Eileen sighed. "Nobody knows anything. And Ace claimed that he got attacked by a robot."

"A robot?" Shan frowned, scratching her chin. "Hmmm..."

"Fury's on!" Ace announced. The group gathered around the television.

"Eileen, you had better leave the room." Freddy told the blonde EM-manipulator. "This is important Freedom Force stuff, you know."

"Oh, okay." Eileen nodded. "I'll be in the kitchen." She left the room. Fury's face appeared on the television screen.

"Hello, Freedom Force."

"Hi, Dr. Nick!" The heroes greeted in unison with big grins. Fury groaned.

"I _really_ wish you guys would stop that." Fury sighed.

"You always set it up." Rictor joked. The WWII Veteran blinked.

"Good to have you back, Rictor."

"Hey, I wanted to come say hi." The Mexican mutant grinned. A door closing was heard, and Gina Tolensky, the plant-manipulator codenamed Botanica, walked in.

"You're late, Botanica." Fury frowned.

"Sorry, Fury." Gina apologized. "I had a meeting with my publisher." She looked at Bobby. "How's Jamie doing?"

"Not good." Bobby sighed. "He's become very withdrawn." Gina sighed with regret.

"You mean that jabroni hasn't blown his own head off yet? Feh." Kyle groused. "The jabroni should do the world a favor and jump off a bridge or something. Not like anyone would miss that deadbeat." Bobby and Gina both smacked Kyle upside the head. "Hey! What'd I do?!"

"Are you finished?" Fury grumbled. The Freedom Force members nodded. "I need you guys to investigate something in the California desert. One of our satellites got shot down." The screen changed to a graphic of a map of California. The graphic showed a blinking red dot in the middle of the desert. "It crashed somewhere in this area. We haven't been able to track it any further. I need Freedom Force to find out what happened to it."

"Wait..." Bobby blinked. "Why is this our problem? Shouldn't this be NASA's problem?"

"We have reason to believe that the satellite was deliberately shot down." Fury explained. "It's last transmissions detected an...odd reading in the desert."

"Extraterrestrial?" Shan wondered.

"...Unsure." Fury frowned. "Although the satellite did detect traces of Technarcy before it was shot down." Fred looked visibly shaken.

"Technarc...I never thought I'd have to hear from those guys again..." Fred grumbled.

"I thought you weren't angry at Warlock anymore." Ace blinked.

"I've forgiven Warlock, but that doesn't mean I like the rest of 'em." The large Texan grunted.

"I don't blame you." Bobby agreed. "Magus and the rest of the Technarcs are pure malice."

"Does this mean that the Technarcs are trying to come for Earth again?" Sunfire wondered.

"They weren't exactly invading last time." Bobby remembered. "Last time, Magus was coming for Warlock." Unknown to Freedom Force, Eileen was listening in. She couldn't help herself. The blonde's curiosity overpowered her.

"Wait..." Rusty blinked. "What is the Technarcy?"

"Long story." Fred grunted shortly.

"If it is Magus looking for a rematch..." Shan frowned. "We'd better get our butts to the desert. Maybe we can get to the bottom of this." Ace and Fred looked at each other. They had a funny feeling that their little mystery had a connection to this incident. "Let's get ourselves mobilized. Sunfire, Rictor...you guys want to join us?"

"Sure thing, Karma!" Rictor grinned.

"I would be honored to rejoin my old teammates." Sunfire nodded. "I have concentrated more on helping my sister defend Japan, but it would be nice to fight alongside Freedom Force again."

"How is Leyu by the way?" Gina grinned. "I haven't heard from her in a while."

_**Next: The Return** Freedom Force goes to the desert, where they find some surprise backup, and yet another shocker!_


	22. The Return Part 1: Arrival

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "Kneel! Kneel before Professor Chaos!" - Leopold "Butters" Stotch, _South Park_**

Chapter 22: The Return, Part 1: Arrival

**On a helicopter on the way to the desert**

The team of mighty mutants known as Freedom Force were on board their craft, getting ready for their mission. The members were getting ready in their various ways. Ace was listening to music on his headphones, quietly singing along.

"_Ai yi yo, shake your foundations..._" Ace sang. **(1)**

"Must you listen to that old rock, man?" The Mexican mutant known as Rictor frowned.

"Hey, I like it." Ace grinned. "What's wrong with classic rock? It's music that stood the test of time. It's like a fine wine: the older it gets, the better it sounds."

"Whatever, man." The sonic generator shrugged. "I prefer hip-hop anyway." Meanwhile, Sunfire was trying to meditate. His mask concealed his closed eyes.

"Hey, jabroni." Kyle Wildfire grinned at the Japanese mutant.

"Kyle, don't..." Gina Tolensky groaned. She hated it when her boyfriend and the man she considered her elder brother started antagonizing each other. However, Kyle ignored the Italian-American plant-manipulator's plea.

"Hey Sushi, don't go falling asleep on us, huh?" Kyle teased. "I know that the long flight from Japan here to Cali gives you bad jetlag, but we're going to be needing your help here." Shiro Yoshida sighed.

"Thunderbolt, you do realize that the sound of your voice is very painful to hear?" Shiro grunted.

"Kyle, please don't antagonize Shiro." Gina sighed, looking up from her notepad.

"Meh." The Boston-born electrokinetic grunted, sitting back in his seat. He then looked at his girlfriend's notepad. "What're you doing, babe?"

"Just working on some ideas I have for new recipes." Gina grinned proudly.

"You're not going to try putting together Japanese and Italian food again, are you?" Kyle frowned. Gina blinked.

"What?" The dark-haired woman blinked. "Kyle, my grandmother taught me how to cook in the Italian way, and I learned a whole bunch of new and amazing stuff during my time in Japan." **(2)**

"Gina, they eat octopus over there." Kyle reminded.

"It's actually quite delectable." Shiro smirked. "Of course, you wouldn't know that. You were given a plate of octopus, and you vomited all over the table at the sight of it." Kyle's face flushed with embarrassment. The electrokinetic glared at a giggling Gina.

"I'm sorry, Kyle." A giggling Gina covered her mouth. "But it is funny, you have to admit." Meanwhile John Proudstar and Terrell Mason, respectively the powerhouse Thunderbird and the speedster Velocity, were also engaging in their own pre-battle rituals.

"What're you doin', man?" Terrell looked at John. The Apache mutant was fiddling with the feathers attached to his headband.

"Huh?" John looked up, not quite hearing him.

"I said, what're you doing?" Terrell repeated.

"Oh, I'm just adjusting the feathers on my headband." John explained. "Don't want them to fall out."

"Why do you have the feathers, anyway?" Terrell frowned. "I never really thought about it until now."

"A warning." John explained. "It's a warning to my opponents that they are not facing a mutant. They are facing a warrior. They are facing an Apache. They are facing a man who is remembering his people's warrior ancestry. And speaking of doing something...what was that mumbling you did?"

"Just a prayer." Terrell explained. "Something I always do before missions. My dad's a minister, so it rubbed off on me. Karma does it as well, being raised Catholic and all." John nodded, looking over at the Vietnamese mind-controller. She was piloting the craft. Even though the leader of the team was as alert as ever, the Apache powerhouse noticed that the Vietnamese mind-controller also had her mind on something else. "You alright?"

"Yeah." Shan blinked, forcing herself back to reality. "I was just thinking about something."

"Thinkin' about your gal back in LA?" John noticed. Terrell smiled proudly to himself. He was the one who introduced Shan to Beth.

"Yeah." Shan nodded. "I plan to get through this mission in one piece. Otherwise, Beth will kill me." Terrell burst out laughing. As this was occurring, Bobby and Fred were talking. Lila had fallen asleep, with her head on Bobby's shoulder.

"I called the other guys. They'll be on their way." Fred told Bobby. "I figured we might need the combined power of both teams."

"Yeah, and we got the kids holding down the fort back at HQ." Bobby remembered. "I don't think they're ready for a mission like this."

"Yeah, I asked Eileen to keep an eye on them for a while." Fred remembered. However, what the elder Freedom Force team didn't realize was that some distance away, a small craft was following the Freedom Force's helicopter. The craft was piloted by the Navy brat pyrokinetic Rusty Collins. Inside it were the animorph Jack McCormick, the telepathic Betsy Braddock, and the slippery forcefield generator Sally Blevins. With them was Eileen Harsaw. The kids were all in their costumes, and Eileen was in one as well.

"Uhm, kids..." Eileen blinked. "Are you sure this is a good idea? Fred asked me to..."

"Ah, don't worry about it." Rusty waved. "I can fly a plane just fine. My dad flew for the Navy."

"Dude, I heard he crashed a lot. How do you think he totally got the nickname 'Launchpad McQuack'?" Jack snickered.

"You don't know jack, Jack!" Rusty snapped, glaring at Jack like the surfer had just made a grievous insult. Eileen looked down at her costume: A light purple number with a dark purple cape and hood, and even a purple mask.

"...How did you guys convince me to do this?" She sighed. "Fred asked me to keep an eye on you kids. Oh, dear..."

"Don't worry about it, Miss Harsaw." Betsy waved it off. "Just be glad I was able to cobble together a costume for you."

"B-but..." Eileen stammered. "I-I-I'm not a member of Freedom Force!" She mumbled. "I can control my powers, and use them well, but I never used them in this way!"

"I'll say it again, I _really_ don't think that this is a good idea." Sally frowned, crossing her arms.

"Don't worry, dudette. We've been totally training in the Playroom. We can do this!" Jack grinned. "This is going to be sooo awesome."

"But, this is real life!" Sally tried to protest.

"Besides, we'll never get to show we can be good members of the Freedom Force team if they make us sit out every bloody mission." Betsy grumbled.

"You just want to impress Iceman." Rusty snickered.

"Betsy has a big crush on Bobby Drake." Sally whispered to Eileen, who nodded in understanding.

"No different than hers on the Blob." Betsy jerked her thumb at Eileen, who blushed. "What?" The purple-haired British girl blinked. "I'm a telepath. Your mind was screaming it."

"The Blob? Dude..." Jack shook his head in disbelief.

"She likes fat people. Who woulda guessed?" Rusty snickered. Eileen's jaw dropped.

"Rusty, be nice." Sally slapped Rusty upside the head.

"Hey! Not while I'm piloting!" Rusty exclaimed, covering his red hair-covered head. "You want me to crash?!"

"Oh relax, you big baby." Betsy cracked. "Afraid your hair is messed up?"

"If I weren't flying this thing, I would-Hey!" The red-haired pyrokinetic started to threaten, when he saw a certain craft streak by them. "Hey! That's the X-Men's Velocity!"

"How did I get into this mess?" Eileen groaned to herself.

"The X-Men?" Jack frowned. "What're those dudes doing here?" Meanwhile, in their own craft, the main Freedom Force team had noticed the Velocity. Shan turned on the radio.

"This is Freedom Force to Velocity, over. Come in, Velocity, over." Shan announced.

"What're the X-Guys doing here?" Kyle blinked.

"Probably the same thing we are." Bobby surmised. "Investigating the strangeness in the desert."

"This is the Velocity, over." The voice of the mutant weather-controlling Kenyan codenamed Storm replied over the radio. "Hello, Karma. What is going on?"

"Official Freedom Force investigation." Shan answered politely. "May I ask what brings the X-Men here?"

"Cerebro picked up mutant activity in the area, so we hare heading to investigate." Storm explained. Shan blinked.

_Mutant activity?_ The mind-controller mentally repeated. "Mutant activity? What kind of mutant activity?"

"We're...not sure." Storm admitted. "Cerebro hasn't been able to identify it. But it's powerful, and it's big."

"I don't like the sound of this." Bobby frowned.

"Oh, great. Another team-up." Kyle grunted. "It's getting to the point where we can't do a mission on our own anymore."

"We do mission on our own." Gina blinked. Kyle groaned.

"You _know_ what I mean, Gina." The Boston-born electrokinetic rolled his eyes. Gina smiled and shook her head.

"Looks like we're going to meet the X-Men again." Ace smirked. "And I'm sure the ladies will be looking as beautiful as ever. It's one of my favorite perks of this job, seeing beautiful women in tight costumes."

"I hear that." Terrell chuckled.

"Big surprise." Shiro sighed.

"Oh, let them have their fun, Shiro." Gina chuckled.

"Typical Ace." Bobby smirked. Little did Bobby realize that his good mood would soon be spoiled...

**The building in the desert**

A figure watched the jets fly on a screen.

"So..." The figure scowled, his glowing solid green eyes narrowing. "No matter...I will destroy them all. I will have my revenge..." The figure turned to three glowing tubes. "And my new weapons will help me destroy them all..."

_**Next: The Return, Part 2: Explosion**_ _Things erupt between our heroes._

**(1) - "Shake Your Foundations", by AC/DC**

**(2) – After "Black Ice", Gina Tolensky spent a few years in Japan with Sunfire's family**


	23. The Return Part 2: Explosion

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "This...is gonna be painful."**

Chapter 23: The Return, Part 2: Explosion

**A desert in California**

The Freedom Force's flyer and the X-Men's Velocity landed side by side in the California desert.

"I see you brought the X-Men." Shan joked warmly as she and Cyclops approached each other. The X-Men and Freedom Force started to gather together and talk to each other. Bobby stood slightly off to the side, leaning against the wall of the X-Jet.

"I can't believe we're working together again." Cyclops agreed. "It's becoming a regular habit."

"Maybe we should all get together and have one big adventure every Thanksgiving or something." **(1)**

"Oh yes, open up a chance for _more_ destruction, madness, and insanity." Cyclops rolled his eyes behind his visor."

"And speaking of insanity, when are you going to get yourselves some new students? It's been over a year." Shan reminded. "We've got ourselves some new trainees."

"Yeah, how are they going?" Scott wondered. "Is Betsy still crushing on Bobby?"

"Oh, yes." Shan chuckled. "Poor Bobby."

"I'm surprised Lila didn't kick her butt." Scott chuckled.

"Nah. Lila's not the type to beat on a kid." Shan chuckled. "Besides, Betsy's not stupid. She knows Bobby's too devoted to Lila." And speaking of the Iceman, Bobby Drake himself was leaning against the Freedom Force flyer, arms crossed, looking out at the horizon.

"Hey, Bobby." Kitty Pryde walked up to the ice-making former X-Man. "What's going on?"

"Just doing some thinking." Bobby replied, readjusting his ponytail. "About the mutant activity. What kind of mutant activity could be going on here in the middle of the desert."

"Probably just a manifestation." Kitty shrugged. "Manifestations have been known to get pretty big."

"I hope it's just that." Bobby sighed. _But I got a feeling that it's a lot worse._

"Well, I gotta go see Terrell about that mix tape he promised me." Kitty started to walk away. Bobby nodded his head.

"Roberto's doing alright, in case you're wondering." Bobby piped up. Kitty stiffened. She slowly turned her head, glaring a hole at the ice-maker. He only shot her a look that indicated he was not intimidated by her glare.

"Don't. You. _Dare._ Mention. Roberto." Kitty growled. "He's _persona non grata_ as far as I'm concerned.. Thanks to him, Danielle's lost a year of her life."

"And he's also responsible for her last coma?" Bobby frowned.

"Why did you take his side?" Kitty sighed. "I thought you were better than that. I can't believe you sided with him on this."

"I didn't side with anybody, Kitty." Bobby shook his head. "I've been away from the X-Men for a long time, so I have been able to see this objectively. Kitty, it wasn't his fault. His mind was screwed with by Gossamyr. And she got what she deserved at the hands of Magus."

"It still doesn't change the fact that Roberto slept with Gossamyr, and as a result, Dani got driven into a comatose state!" Kitty argued.

"But it wasn't of his own free will." Bobby countered calmly. "What's done is done. Don't you think he's punishing himself enough about it? He doesn't need you making it worse for him."

"Since when did you stand up for him?" Kitty frowned. "He acted like you weren't even there when he was last at the Institute!"

"...Some time back, I volunteered on a mission in Brazil." Bobby explained. "A psychopath was murdering prominent businessmen in Rio de Janeiro, and we had reason to believe that Roberto was a target."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Kitty blinked. "The X-Men would've helped him."

"We didn't want to worry you guys. We could handle it." Bobby explained. "Anyway, I volunteered because I wanted to see Roberto and repair some bridges."

"...How'd you get him to talk to you again?" Kitty wondered.

"It wasn't easy." Bobby chuckled. "He didn't want to talk to me much. Until I told him how I felt about the whole situation. I told him I wasn't mad at him, and that I didn't hold him at fault for that whole thing with Gossamyr. It helped." Bobby smiled. "He and I got to talking, and we repaired some bridges."

"And the mission?" Kitty wondered.

"How do you think it went?" Bobby smirked. "We managed to catch the bad guy. Let's just say it wasn't quite what we expected. And in case you're wondering, Roberto is doing alright...although I am worried about him."

"What do you mean?" Kitty blinked.

"...I'm worried about his working habits." Bobby explained. "'Berto's a hard worker. _Too_ hard. Some of his employees have told me that 'Berto's been known to work many hours a week. In fact, he's been known to pull quite a few all-nighters."

"So?" Kitty frowned. "I've done all-nighters myself in college."

"Yeah, but two or three times a _week?_" Bobby countered. "It's not healthy to work at that kind of pace, Kitty. I told 'Berto to take some time off to rest and relax, but he says he's fine." He looked up. "Personally, I think he's trying to escape his guilt. Or more likely he's punishing himself for what happened with Danielle." Bobby sighed. "I call him and talk to him on occasion. I tell him to try and relax. If he keeps this up..." The ice-maker shook his head. Meanwhile, Ace and Fred were talking with Warlock.

"So, has self-friend Ace and self-friend Fred solved the mystery of the Technarc blob?" Warlock inquired.

"Nah, not yet." Ace shrugged. "Where's Doug?"

"He is at home, taking care of Douglock, alongside Self-friends Tabitha and Raymond, who are with Puck."

"I heard that little Puck recently got herself a godmother." Fred remembered.

"Yup." Ace nodded. "I never thought I'd see Shan be a godmother to her ex-girlfriend's kid."

"Well, Tabby wanted to make it up to Shan for breaking up with her because of her pregnancy." Fred nodded. "She's felt very bad about it for a long time, poor girl."

"Well, maybe with Shan as godmother, little Puck will have a _sane_ influence." Ace snickered.

"Yes, everyone has been saying that since Self-friend Tabitha named Self-friend Shan as Self-friend Puck's godmother. Query: What does a godmother do?" Warlock inquired.

"Well, originally, a godparent had a religious meaning." Fred explained. "A godparent is a sponsor of a child's baptism. But nowadays, a godparent is often a close friend of the child's parents, and it often means that they help raise a more complete human being." Warlock nodded in understanding.

"So...a godparent is kind of like a third parent?" Warlock suggested.

"Kind of." Fred nodded.

"Then perhaps Self and Self-mate Doug should get a godparent for Douglock." Warlock thought out loud.

"Often, close friends of the family are named godparents." Fred explained. "And considering that you're friends with most of the X-Men, you'll have one heck of a time choosing one."

"Appropriate, since Shan is a practicing Catholic." Ace nodded. "Since when did you become so knowledgeable, Freddy?"

"Well..." Fred blushed. "I thought I'd improve myself a little." Ace smirked.

"Oh, I see." The feral mutant chuckled. He then started whispering conspiratorially to Warlock. "Fred met this gal in LA, and he's somewhat smitten." The Technarc prince couldn't help but smile.

"Self told Self-friend Fred that Self-friend Fred would find new life-mate." Warlock chuckled. He heard the sounds of an argument. "Uh oh..." They turned their heads and saw Bobby Drake and Lucas Xavier throwing trash-talk at one another, being held back by their respective girlfriends Lila Cheney and Elizabeth Guthrie.

"I cannae believe that they haven't locked ye back up in the nuthouse!" Lucas snapped at the ice-maker.

"You should talk! At least I don't have 50,000 voices in my head!" Bobby snapped back.

"That's it!" Lucas started struggling harder. "Lizzie, let me go! I am going tae roast that loudmouth!"

"Go ahead and try it, you poster boy for electroshock therapy!" Bobby yelled back.

"Let me guess, they caught sight of one another." Ace groaned.

"Yes." Warlock sighed. "Lucas and Elizabeth had come over to visit when the alarm was set. Elizabeth and Lucas brought themselves along to help."

"I thought Nightshift wasn't into actively recruiting mutants." Ace frowned. "Why are they here?"

"They thought they'd come help." Warlock explained. "And if there was a new mutant, they wanted to offer him or her a chance to join Nightshift."

"A group where they can go be themselves without having to live the X-Men's life." Fred chuckled. He looked at Iceman and Legion, who both looked like they wanted to kill one another. "Why do they keep doing this?"

"I can guess." Ace snickered. "It's obvious. Those two are very powerful mutants, right? And those two have duked it out before. Neither one of them have scored a decisive victory over the other. As you would say, Freddy, they're two bulls who never got to determine who is the better." **(2)**

"Yeah, you got a point." Fred agreed.

"I am sorry to break up the camaderie..." Scott Summers announced. "But we still have the mutant activity to investigate."

"Uh, Cyclops..." Shan pointed behind him. "I think something has decided to investigate us." Scott turned around and saw several large blocky humanoid shapes , pointing arms tipped with cannons at the heroes. They were robots, looking like they were built from junk. Their bodies were covered in glowing green circuit lines. And standing on top of one of those robots was a figure that looked like an adult man dressed in a black costume with glowing green circuit lines on it. The figure's long hair and skin was also black, and the eyes were solid green-glowing orbs.

"Hello, gov'nors..." The man grinned evilly.

"My God..." Shan gasped.

"...Virus..." Bobby's jaw dropped. "He's back! But...How is that possible?"

_**Next: The Return: Part 3: Reborn** Virus has returned! But how did he? Find out in the next chapter as Freedom Force and the X-Men fight for their lives, and Virus decides to unleash his newest weapons. _

**(1) – A nod to the yearly team-ups between the Justice League of America and their predecessors, the Justice Society of America, which went from the 1960s to the mid 1980s.**

**(2) – Bobby Drake and Lucas Xavier have duked it out twice before, in "Black Ice" and "Gifts and Curses". Neither one scored a decisive win over the other. Freedom Force intervened in their first brawl, and their second was broken up by their girlfriends (who made them run in fear).**


	24. The Return Part 3: Reborn

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "Game over, man! Game over!"**

Chapter 24: The Return: Part 3, Reborn

**Location Unknown**

In a chamber, surrounded by darkness, three large glowing tube-shaped chambers were mounted on a wall. It could not be seen what was inside the chambers, as the glow drowned out any chance of seeing any shapes inside the chambers. Each chamber had a flashing red light above it. The lights turned green, and the chambers started to open.

**The California Desert**

"My God..." Shan gasped in shock.

"How...?" Lucas muttered. "But, that's impossible! Drake...he..."

"I killed him..." Bobby stammered. "I put an icicle right through the black heart of that psychopath!" **(1)**

"Evidently it didn't do the job." Lucas sneered. "Figures. I knew the little ice cube would screw it up! He can't even kill a fellow madman right!"

"Lucas!" Elizabeth snapped. "Now is not the time for your petty feud!"

"Aw, let the two plonkers argue it out." Virus cackled. "They should've realized that nothing is impossible for our species. Although, technically, I myself am not really human anymore."

"This is the legendary Virus, huh?" Sam frowned. Bobby nodded.

"Oh yeah."

"Now I'm starting to regret that remark I once made about wanting to face him." Scott groaned.

"Those markings..." Warlock gasped. "Self recognizes the marking on Virus's body! It's Phalanx!"

"What?!" Scott gaped.

"Phalanx?!" Bobby blinked. "What the hell does Virus have to do with the Phalanx?"

"What I'd like to know is how did Virus end up with Phalanx?" Shan blinked. Virus cackled.

"The Technarcs were only too willing to provide me with a new body, Freedom Force." Virus smirked. "I promised them a shot at revenge."

"Revenge?" Lucas blinked. "For what?"

"Magus." Bobby growled. "When he came to Earth a year ago. Tried to kill Warlock." Fred visibly flinched. It was during that incident that he lost Rosey. **(2)**

"Actually, I have to thank the Iceman for me rebirth." Virus laughed. "He played an integral part in it. If it weren't for him trying to kill me, I'd never have had a change to get me revenge."

"I knew it!" Lucas snapped. "Thanks a lot, Drake! This is your fault!" Bobby angrily snapped his head around.

"You want to get flash-frozen, you jackass?!" Bobby roared, eyes and hands glowing blue. Lizzie punched Lucas in the arm hard.

"Can't you shut up about it already?!" Lizzie snapped. She glared at the mad mutant. "How did you do it, Virus? How did you come back?" Virus smirked.

"I never thought you'd ask, me dear." The English mutant snickered. "You see, when the Iceman impaled me, he cause me X-Gene to evolve. I found myself being transformed. I became a being of pure energy."

"Energy?" Scott repeated.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding!" Kyle snapped.

"I'm not done!" Virus snapped. "Anyway, using me new energy form, I managed to survive the wreck of my little compound in Bayville. After some other stuff that I shall not bore you all with, I ended up sticking meself in one of those CETI transmitters, and blasted into space." As Virus continued to talk, a certain group of young mutants were watching this from behind a very large rock formation.

"Wow..." Betsy blinked, looking through a pair of binoculars.

"How'd I get myself into this mess? How'd I get myself into this mess? How'd I get myself into this mess?" Eileen groaned. "I'm not some superheroine! I'm just a regular mutant!" Sally patted Eileen's shoulder in a reassuring manner.

"Don't worry about it, Eileen." Sally reassured. "We'll take care of everything. You can stay here

"Hey, let me see!" Rusty reached up towards Betsy's binoculars. "I want to see!"

"Sod off, Collins." Betsy grunted. "I'm not done!"

"You crumpet-popping hog!" Rusty snapped. "You've hogged the binoculars since we landed! Now let me see!"

"You know, threatening a lady is rather ungentlemanly of you, Firefist." Betsy smirked.

"I would be rather ungentlemanly right now if I _was_ mocking a lady!" Rusty snapped.

"Like, uh oh..." Jack groaned. "Here we go again...Like, can't you dudes totally stop this fighting for like, five minutes? It's messing up my vibes!"

"Forget your stupid vibes, Beast King!" Rusty snapped. "This witch won't hand over the binoculars!"

"Get your own!" Betsy snapped back.

"Oh, we are going to be in so much trouble..." Sally groaned.

"You're telling me." Eileen sighed. "Fred asked me to help watch over you kids, and now this happens? How did this happen?" She watched Rusty and Betsy argue and play tug-of-war with the binoculars.

"Give them over, you cricket-playing mind-reading hag!" Rusty tugged a the binoculars.

"Wait your bloody turn, you fire-throwing lummox!" Betsy tugged at the binoculars. Eileen watched the two young mutants argue.

"Are they...always like this?" Eileen asked Sally, indicating Rusty and Betsy with a jerk of her thumb.

"Oh yes." Sally nodded. "Those two have never gotten along."

"They totally come from different backgrounds." Jack snickered. "Rusty's a total Navy brat. His dad totally was on a battleship and all that stuff."

"And Betsy comes from a rich family in England." Sally added, tucking some blonde hair behind her ear.

"And why are they in Freedom Force?" Eileen wondered.

"Rusty used to get in trouble a lot." Sally explained.

"Dude's alright, but he has a total anger problem." Jack rolled his eyes.

"When his mutant power of pyrokinesis emerged, Rusty's parents didn't know what to do." Sally sighed. "Until a Navy guy suggested Rusty go to Freedom Force. They thought he'd get discipline there, as well as help with his powers."

"I say he's gotten better, dudette." Jack grinned. "Betsy's family brought her here as well. Same with mine. They own a surf shop in Malibu."

"My parents are from Middle America." Sally smiled. "I was recruited as well." Meanwhile, as the kids were explaining their origins, Virus was explaining his return.

"As I traveled, I found me way to Kvch." The English mutant told Freedom Force and the X-Men.

"Kvch? The Technarc homeworld?!" Lila's jaw dropped.

"Oh, yes." Virus smirked.

"I'm surprised they didn't kill you on sight." Lila scowled. "Technarcs are pure hostility. They can't even stand each other!"

"Being energy has its perks." Virus laughed. "Anyway, I found meself encountering Magus."

"Father..." Warlock gasped. "He helped you?!"

"Oh, yes." Virus nodded. "He was furious that a bunch of organics could send him packing, so I made him a deal. If he gave me a new body, I would help him invade the Earth."

"You..." Lucas snarled. "Ye'd sell out yer own planet."

"Not like I care about it." Virus snickered. "Anyway, I came up with a plan that would massively weaken the planet and make it ripe for Magus's invasion." He grinned evilly. "You stumbled upon me own little engine." Virus pointed to the huge construct that was fading into view.

"That...is an _engine?_" Elizabeth's jaw dropped at the size of the construct. It looked big enough to house a small town.

"Oh yes." Virus nodded proudly. "Just one, though. Once I'm ready, I shall launch missiles that'll use nanites to create more engines at strategic points around the Earth. One the engines are ready, I shall fire them, throwing Earth out of its orbit..."

"Goddess..." Storm realized. "The ramifications will be catastrophic!"

"Unfortunately, I needed material to create the nanites and the missiles for the job." Virus shrugged. "So, I appropriated the parts I needed."

"That explains the thefts!" Ace exclaimed. "It was you! Why didn't we see it?!"

"You bloody humans were so willing to believe I was gone." Virus cackled. "You didn't even want to consider the possibility I had returned..." He then smiled. "However, I'm not the only one who has returned. Those nanites are so wonderful. They allowed me to become a god."

"Jean, what does he mean?" Scott turned to the red-haired telepath. Jean shook her head.

"I can't tell." She shook her head. "I can't read his mind!"

"Neither can I." Legion frowned. "It's like trying tae read binary code."

"Perfect." Shan grumbled. "Just perfect." Ace and Logan's sharp senses heard something.

"Look!" They pointed up in the sky. A human-shaped figure flew through the air towards them. The figure opened its mouth and fired a beam of sonic force.

_**EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**_

"SCATTER!" Shan and Scott screamed, and the heroes leapt out of the way of the sonic blast. It hit the ground with a THOOM, scattering sand around.

"That looked like a sonic blast!" Sunfire realized. He then turned and saw Elizabeth. The blonde size-changer's head was pointed upwards. Her face was pale, eyes wide in fright, and her hands were cupped over her wide open mouth.

"Oh mah God..." She stammered. "Lucas, look!" The telepathic pyrokinetic looked up and saw the figure as it flew down. It was a young woman with long red hair, clad in a green costume with a yellow collar. Her costume showcased some of her cleavage, and it had yellow boots and gloves. Her face had strips of metal over eyebrows and the bridge of her nose, and her eyes glowed a solid electronic green. "Oh mah God...it can't be..." Lucas's jaw dropped.

"Oh Mary, mother of God..." Shan's face paled. Rage built in Lucas's eyes.

"You like?" Virus smiled proudly. "In life, her name was Theresa Rourke. In death, she became Siryn, the Sonic Destroyer! I took her body and rebuilt her with nanites."

"Virus..." Lucas snarled, the look in his eye indicating he wanted to kill the mad mutant. "You sick ghoul! How dare ye! HOW DARE YE! YE TWISTED BASTARD!"

"Terry..." Tears rolled down Elizabeth's eyes. "Oh Terry...Dear God...how could he do this to ye?"

"And she's only the first." Virus smirked. "She's the first of my three greatest creations...THE CYBORG MUTANTS!"

_**Next: The Return Part 4: Desecration** Virus reveals his two other cybernetic weapons!_

**(1) – In the climax of "Black Ice", a redemption-seeking Bobby put an ice spike right through Virus's heart, seemingly killing him.**

**(2) – In "Gifts and Curses". **


	25. The Return Part 4: Desceration

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "Redneck!" - Eric Cartman, _South Park_**

Chapter 25: The Return, Part 4: Desecration

**The California Desert**

"Whoa..." Rusty Collins' jaw dropped when he saw the resurrected Theresa Rourke through the binoculars. "I thought that chick was dead."

"Huh?" Eileen blinked.

"Theresa Rourke." Rusty explained. "I heard about her from the older guys. She was this Irish chick with red hair. She also had a scream that could shatter steel."

"She died during that whole rampage of Sauron a while back." Betsy explained.

"What's a Sauron?" Eileen blinked. "The only Sauron I know of is the one in _The Lord of the Rings._"

"The Sauron that killed Theresa was totally no master of Orcs, dudette." Jack shook his head. "Sauron was this total pterodactyl dude. He could like, hypnotize people and absorb people's lifeforce, dudes."

"Yeah, those X-Geniuses recruited him. Nice move, Xavier." Rusty snickered.

"Everyone makes mistakes." Eileen admonished.

"Yeah, but when Xavier screws up, he screws up big time." Rusty snickered. "Anyway, he killed Theresa by absorbing her lifeforce. He was on a rampage, and two of those X-Dorks died stopping him."

"Kevin Ford, codenamed Wither. Jonothan Starsmore, codenamed Chamber." Betsy explained.

"Poor Wither." Sally shook her head. "He could disintegrate organic matter by touching it. He couldn't shut his power off. And Chamber had it bad, too. He was a living furnace of psionic energy. His powers destroyed part of his face and chest."

"They both died to stop Sauron." Betsy shook her head. "Hopefully that Virus lunatic left them alone. They both deserve eternal peace." Meanwhile, the mutant heroes who were facing Virus were horrified by what the mad mutant had done.

"At we now know who disturbed Theresa's grave." Shan scowled.

"Oh God...oh God let this be a nightmare...please..." A teary-eyed Lizzie buried her face in Lucas's shoulder. "How could he? How could he?"

"Virus is a twisted psychopath, Elizabeth." Bobby scowled.

"Aww, you say the nicest things, Mr. Drake." Virus laughed. "Why did I bring back the darling Siryn?"

"I dunnae know, and I dunnae care." Lucas snarled. "This time, I'll make sure you die, and _stay_ dead!"

"Hold that fire, Lucas." Shan ordered. "I personally would like to know how you did it, Virus? How'd you bring her back?"

"Why, that's easy." Virus smirked. "As soon as I came back to Earth to enact me plan, I remembered the last time I was there. I remembered Freedom Force and Nightshift...and how they foiled me plan to purify Earth of filthy organic lifeforms last time." He smirked evilly. "So, I tried to figure out a way I could stick it to the lot of you for ruining me last plan. Then it came to me. In me energy form, I wandered into the X-Men's computer system. They never knew I was even there."

"Sonofa-..." Scott muttered in frustration.

"While in the files, I learned of the deaths of the ones you called Siryn, Chamber, and Wither." Virus smirked. "I figured, hey, if I took their corpses and used the nanites to rebuild them into loyal cyborgs under my control, I can use them as weapons against those who try to oppose me. I chose to rebuild Siryn because she was a member of Nightshift. I liked Chamber and Wither's powers, so I decided to work on them, too." Paige Guthrie, the blonde epidermic metamorph known as Husk, paled in shock.

"No..." The Kentucky-born girl paled. She had always blamed herself to a degree for Chamber's death, and now this? "No..." She shook her head. "No...please, no..."

"How-?" Scott's jaw dropped.

"Well, me first attempt to get a corpse was messy." Virus sighed. "What was I thinking?"

"Left a lot of evidence at Theresa's grave." Shan scowled.

"Yes, well that was a trial run." Virus shrugged. "When I picked up Chamber and Wither, I found a way to not leave any evidence. You had to scan their graves in order to find out they were gone."

"Why, Virus?" Scott scowled. "They were X-Men. You didn't face us last time."

"As I said, I liked their powers." The mad mutant snickered. "Chamber was a living weapon of mass destruction. And Wither...Oh, Wither..." He laughed. "I can't help but love a guy who can destroy anything organic with a touch." He heard high-pitched whines fly through the air. "Ah, and that would be them now." Two more figures flew down next to Siryn, using jets that folded into their legs. They both were brown-haired young men, clad in black costumes, and it was obvious that they were Chamber and Wither. Like Siryn, they had strips of metal over their eyebrows and the bridges of their noses, and their eyes were Wither's black costume was short-sleeved, and his lower arms were covered by metal bands. His fingers appeared to be metallic, and metallic lines ran from his knuckles to the armbands. Jono's cybernetics showed in his mouth. His mouth and lower cheeks were metallic, looking like the Terminator's jaws.

"My God..." Rusty gasped when he saw the cyborgs. "I think that's Chamber. He looks like the Son of The Terminator." Jack climbed up the rock next to him.

"What? Let me see, dude!" Jack grabbed the binoculars, yanking down Rusty.

"Ack! Ack! You surfer bum idiot!" Rusty gagged as he grabbed at the strap that was choking him.

"Dude!" Jack gaped. "They're like those Cybermen on that British TV show!"

"Jack, I'm choking, you twit!" Rusty exclaimed.

"Uh, Jack..." Eileen pointed at a choking Rusty. Jack blinked at him, and his jaw dropped.

"Oh, sorry dude." The blond surfer helped the redhaired pyrokinetic down.

"Air!" Rusty breathed gratefully. "You blockhead!" He smacked Jack upside the head. "You nearly got me killed. Ack."

"Rusty, you didn't need to do that." Sally shook her head. "It wasn't Jack's fault."

"Yeah." Betsy nodded in agreement. "Jack's dumb, but it's not like he intends to screw up."

"Yeah...hey!" Jack exclaimed.

"Don't worry about it, Beast King." Betsy grinned. "You know I don't really have any quarrel with you." Meanwhile, Virus was cackling.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He laughed. "Aren't they magnificent? Those three are me greatest creations!"

"Jono...?" Paige called at the cyberized Englishman. "Jono? Can you hear me? Jono! It's me! It's Paige!" The cyborg that was once Chamber didn't even look at her. "Jono! It's me! You've got to remember!"

"He can't hear ya, luv." Virus smirked at the blonde. "He ain't alive. He's just a automaton with organic and cybernetic parts."

"They had names. Identities. Lives." Shan scowled.

"Past tense." Virus chuckled. "Now, they are merely my puppets."

"Just when we thought you couldn't sink any lower, Virus..." Bobby shook his head. "You dig up three dead people and put robotic parts in them."

"This is your fault, anyway!" Lucas snapped. "_Ye_ should be cyberized or whatever the hell he did tae Siryn! Ye didn't finish him off!" Lizzie angrily grabbed the front of Lucas's shirt and powered up slightly. She didn't grow a great amount in size, just enough to pull Lucas off his feet.

"Lucas, Ah like to think that Ah am a patient woman, but even Ah have mah limits. If you don't stop this, Ah swear to God, Ah will tear your head off, and use it as a bowling ball. You got me?" She threatened. A wide-eyed Lucas nodded. "Good." She threw him down to the ground.

"Ya didn't need tae do that." He muttered.

"I dunno." Bobby smirked. "I think it works well for you." Lucas muttered about wise-cracking snowmen as he got up. "That's a funny joke Lucas, but I doubt that is anatomically possible."

"Grr..." Lucas fumed at the smugly smirking Bobby.

"Look here, heroes..." Virus snickered. "Do you really think you can defeat my three cyborgs and me cybernetic defenses?"

"We can try!" Wolverine snarled, unsheating his claws with the trademark SNIKT!

"Fine." Virus shrugged. He looked at the cyborgs. "Destroy them whenever you want. I never liked 'em much, anyway."

"Ye're gonna pay for this, Virus!" Lucas roared as he fired a telepathic attack at Virus. However, the attack failed. The mad Englishman teleported away before the attack could hit him. "Come back here and fight, ye cowardly bastard!" The cyborg Wither pointed his arms at Lucas. With the sounds of whirring and clicking, the metallic parts on his arms shifted shape and moved themselves around until they formed themselves into a pair of futuristic cannons. The cannons' barrels started to glow white. With a VWOOM, the cannons fired two beams of white light.

"DOWN!" Scott and Shan ordered. Everyone ducked the beams of light, and they hit a cactus. In front of their shocked eyes, the cactus withered to dust in a matter of moments.

"Well, whaddaya know?" Kyle blinked. "The guy's packing disintegration guns. Like in that old Daffy Duck cartoon." Gina whistled.

"Remind me never to get him mad."

"It appears that Virus has found a way to alter and perhaps even enhance their mutations with the nanites." The Beast deduced.

"Makes sense." Shan nodded.

"Uh, the cyborgs aren't the only things we have to worry about." Ace reminded. "The giant robot thingies, too?"

"Oh, yeah..." Beast remembered. The cyborg Chamber opened up his mouth and, with a high-pitched whine, fired a beam of concussive energy from his mouth like a dragon spitting flame. "Uh oh!"

"Look out!" Everyone ducked, and the beam hit Freedom Force's helicopter, causing it to explode.

"Well, there goes our ride." Thunderbird grunted.

"Jono, stop!" Paige screamed. "It's us!"

"It's not Chamber, Paige!" Jean tried to tell her. "I can't sense anything in there. He's just a robotic shell." Scott scowled.

"Virus is going to pay for this." He scowled. "As soon as we go through these robotic monsters...He's next. He made a big mistake when he decided to desecrate Jono and Kevin like this."

"You got that right." Shan agreed.

"I may not be a fan of ye X-Men, but ye got my support, Summers." Lucas nodded. "Theresa didnae deserve this."

"Looks like those robots want us to attack 'em." Ace blinked.

"Well, let's not disappoint them." Shan smirked, unfurling her staff.

_**Next: The Return, Part 5: Desert Demolition** As the X-Men and Freedom Force battle Virus's creations, the New Recruits decide to lend a hand!_


	26. The Return Part 5: Desert Demolition

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY!" - Jim Ross**

Chapter 26: The Return, Part 5: Desert Demolition

**The California desert**

The battle was hard and personal. Freedom Force and the X-Men, aided by Legion and Amazon of Nightshift, were fighting their way to Virus's engine complex, but they were being hindered. They could handle fighting the giant robot monsters that the psychotic English mutant had unleashed on them. However, the psychotic mutant had decided to, as his own way of giving the mutant heroes a 'twist of the knife', steal the bodies of three innocent deceased mutants and use nanites to help rebuild them into cyborg warriors, mindless and loyal. One was once Theresa Rourke, a beautiful Irish mutant who had the power to generate sonic vibrations to fly or as a devastating 'sonic scream'. The second was once Jono Starsmore, an English mutant that could generate powerful concussive blasts of telekinetic energy. The third was once Kevin Ford, a young man cursed with the inability to touch because anything organic he touched was decayed to dust. Now, they were Siryn, Chamber, and Wither, respectively. They were Virus's creations. Virus's warriors.

"You are going down!" Blob roared as he charged one of the giant robots. The robot hit him with its version of a light kick, sending him careening into a rock formation.

"Aie!" Rusty Collins winced as he watched the action through binoculars. "And I thought that one of Kyle's match against Smasher McGee at _Blood Brawl XVI_ was brutal!"

"Aw, dude! I saw that match!" Jack grinned. "Yeah, it was brutal! Kyle went nuts on Smasher! He, like, climbed the fifteen-foot ladder, and like it was top of the scaffold, and he totally JUMPED! OFF!"

"Yeah, it was..." Rusty couldn't find the words. "Whoa, man. It was wild, man. And he and Smasher flew down through that flaming table, oh my God, that was _insane!_" Rusty grinned.

"Huh?" Eileen blinked. Betsy chuckled at the older woman.

"You see, quite a lot of those older guys try to have careers outside the Freedom Force team." The purple-haired British teenager explained. "Kyle Wildfire, the Thunderbolt, is a professional wrestler. Some kind of family tradition thing. Terrell Mason is working on his basketball career. Ace Starr has his own rock music career. Proudstar's in the military. Rictor's been in Mexico, I'm not sure what he's doing. Sunfire is studying to become a diplomat like his father was. Gina's working on a cookbook. "

"Wow." Eileen blinked. "Looks like the Freedom Force team has a variety of interests outside the team."

"Yes." Sally smiled. "In fact, your friend Fred writes a food column in Bayville's local newspaper."

"He does?" Eileen blinked in amazement. Sally nodded.

"Oh yes. I've read it online. It's a lot of fun to read."

"Huh." Rusty blinked. "Who would've thought that that big lug could read and write."

"That's not very nice, Rusty." Eileen admonished.

"Especially since he'd totally pound your face in if he heard that." Jack snickered.

"Speaking of being in trouble..." Betsy looked out at the battle. "Shouldn't we help out? That's why we came out here for."

"If the older guys catch us, we'll be toasted." Jack blinked.

"Not to mention Eileen here isn't exactly Freedom Force-ready." Rusty noted, jerking his thumb at Eileen.

"I don't know how I got here." She gulped nervously as she looked out at the battle. _I hope Fred will be okay..._

"You know, I saw that Virus guy vanish. I think he teleported." Betsy noted. "One place he's going. Inside that complex the robots and cyborgs are guarding."

"Betsy, no!" Sally shook her head. "I know what you are thinking!"

"Aw, hell..." Rusty groaned. "She wants us to infiltrate the complex. Hey Limey, didn't anyone send you the blasted memo? We're not trained ninjas like you are. There is no way in hell that we can infiltrate our way into Virus's complex!"

"Why not?" Betsy grinned. "Besides, we can finally prove to the older guys that we are capable of handling real missions!" She smirked at Rusty. "Besides, your father was in the Navy. Don't they have that elite group, what're they called? SEALs, right?"

"Betsy, you have to be _good_ to be a SEAL." Rusty groaned. "Those guys are real badasses. They study in these elite places. You have to earn a qualification just to wear the badge!"

"You just, like totally want to impress Bobby." Jack rolled his eyes.

"Betsy, there's no way we can pull it off." Sally shook her head. "Uh-uh! We're not real superheroes!"

"We wear the costumes, don't we?" Betsy shot back.

"What about Blondie over here, in case you forgot?" Rusty jerked his thumb at Eileen. "She isn't even a member of the team!"

"I-I-I don't even have a whole lot of experience with my powers!" Eileen added. "I have been practicing with them a little bit, but not like you guys do."

"Dude, I have to totally admit, I am, like, getting a little tired of totally standing around." Jack admitted, shifting in his seat. The blond Malibu native then remembered something. "Hey dudette..." He looked at Eileen. "What are your powers, anyway?"

"Well..." She pulled back her hood, revealing her platinum blonde hair. "I can manipulate electromagnetic energy. It allows me to mess up electronic devices and shut off superpowers."

"Alright!" Betsy grinned. "Do you know what that means?"

"Uh, that my powers drive me crazy sometimes?" Eileen blinked.

"No, you are the ultimate weapon against Virus!" Betsy explained. "Your powers allow you to screw up electronic devices! Virus is obsessed with them! He'll _hate_ you!"

"B-b-b..." Eileen started to counter.

"No way, Betsy." Sally repeated. "It's too dangerous. We're in already enough hot water as it is! If any of us gets killed, we'll really get it!"

"What's the point of life if you don't live it?" Betsy grinned as she emerged from the rock formation. "Tally ho!"

"Oh, man..." Eileen groaned.

"Come on..." Sally sighed as she got up. "We might as well come along. If only to make sure that Betsy doesn't do anything insane and/or stupid."

"Yeah, yeah." Rusty grumbled as he, Jack, and Eileen came along.

"I-I'll come along." Eileen nodded. "I'm an adult, and you guys'll need an adult with you. Besides, Betsy's got a point. My powers will be useful." Sally created a force bubble and used it to slide across the sands to the complex, being careful not to let the adults see them.

"Ha! This is great!" Betsy whooped.

"Look at it this way, dudette." Jack grinned at Sally. "At least if we don't make it, we'll make it with a bang."

"...That really doesn't make me feel any better, Jack." Sally sighed. Meanwhile, the elder heroes in the heat of battle. Elizabeth grew to a great size and tried to swat down a flying Siryn.

"Ah don't care what Jean Grey says, you have _got_ to be in there somewhere!" The large blonde known as Amazon grumbled. "The Theresa Ah know would never do anything like this! The real Theresa would never attack her friends!"

"Forget it, Amazon!" Thunderbird grumbled. "The broad's a zombie! Just cut her head off and be done with it!" He noticed that the cyborg Wither landed in front of him. "What the-?"

"The master wishes your termination." The cyborg mutant told the Apache powerhouse in a monotone voice. His voice appeared to sound like two voices: One was his normal voice speaking in a monotone, and the other was a electronic voice. He pointed his arm at Thunderbird, morphing into his disintegrator beam cannon. The nozzle of the cannon started to glow white.

"Hoo boy..." The Apache mutant blinked. However, he would be saved by a friend.

_**POW!**_

The Compton-born speedster called Velocity slammed into Wither before he could fire his cannon, sending him flying into the side of one of the giant robots.

"Watch yourself, man!" He exclaimed.

"Oh, right. Sorry, heh heh heh." Thunderbird laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.

"Exterminate." The cyborg Chamber grunted, before firing an intense beam of concussive energy at the heroes.

"Jono! Jono, stop!" Paige Guthrie begged. Her skin was in the form of titanium, but thankfully, it didn't affect her agility, as she was able to dodge her former teammate's energy beam. "Jono, please! It's me! It's Paige! Don't you remember me?! You loved me once! Jono!"

"Kid, it's not working." Bobby told the blonde Kentucky native. "You can't get through to him. He's just a machine now. Jono Starsmore died a year ago. Whatever that is, it's not Jono, and it will never be him."

"AAAAAAAAH!" Scott Summers and Storm screamed as they clutched their ears, trying to block out Siryn's sonic scream. The two mutants fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Scott!" Jean screamed.

"Ororo!" Forge yelled. The two ran towards their other halves. Siryn landed on the ground near them.

"I remember you two." The cyborg Irishwoman said to them, although they weren't in earshot of her yet. Her voice was still in its monotone. "My brain is partially cybernetic, but it still contains the memories of my past life. And the knowledge of that past life." She nodded at Jean and Forge. "You two will die alone." She prepared to finish off the downed optic blaster and weather witch when she suddenly stopped. Her fist quivered slightly before going still.

"Hang on, ye two!" Lucas exclaimed as he flew past Jean and Forge. "I'm going tae finish that monster off...huh?" Lucas's eyes widened as he noticed something. The cyborg Siryn stopped her attack. "What...I sense..." He closed his eyes and tried to enter the cyborg's mind. He sensed something very weak...

_W...W...W..._ He heard a weak voice stammer in the cyborg's mind. _W...What...where...where...am I?_

"...Theresa?" Lucas whispered, landing in front of the cyborg. "Theresa? Are ye...are ye in there?"

_Lu...Lucas?_ The cyborg looked up. "Lu-cas? W..."

"Theresa?" Lucas asked again. "Is that...Can ye be...?"

"W...W..." The cyborg slowly looked at her fist.

"Oh my God..." Lucas's jaw dropped.

"...Lucas?" The cyborg coked her head. "Where...am I? Cold...I feel cold...in places. Where am I?"

_**Next: The Return Part 6: Infiltration** The New Recruits infiltrate Virus's complex, and why is Lucas trying to save the cyborgs?_


	27. The Return Part 6: Infiltration

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "I'm sorry, Dave. I can't do that." - HAL 9000, _2001: A Space Odyssey_**

Chapter 27: The Return, Part 6: Infiltration

**The desert**

Vincent James was once a regular mutant. He was also a madman. He was an old enemy of the Freedom Force team. Now, he was a true monster. Fueled by psychotic dreams of a cold, sterile machine world, Virus couldn't be stopped even by a spike of ice wielded by a young hero seeking redemption. He evolved into energy and made contact with a species of people who were close to the people of Virus's dreams: raw aggression and flesh melded with technology.

They gave him a body, and he agreed to turn on the planet that birthed him, seeking revenge for himself and that world's monstrous leader. He came back to Earth, and built a powerful gigantic engine, one of several that would be used to knock Earth out of orbit.

Virus himself was enjoying the thought of destroying the planet that gave birth to him. He always fancied himself a god. He fancied himself as superior to man or mutant. However, in all his arrogance, Virus forgot that he, despite his transformation, was still far from divine, and as such, he was prone to mistakes. He didn't notice five people coming up to a wall of his engine...

"Okay, here we are." Sally deactivated her forcefield.

"Alright..." Betsy smirked as her fist erupted with pink light. With a futuristic sound, Betsy's psionic blade was activated. "Let's rock, as you Yanks say."

"Don't start channeling Avalanche on us." Rusty grumbled.

"How are we going to get in there?" Eileen blinked.

"No problem." Rusty smirked, holding up one finger. A small red flame flame started to burn on the redhead's finger, and it continued to heat up until it turned into an intense blue flame. "Voila." The redhaired Navy brat smirked. "Instant blowtorch. Now, if you excuse me..." The redhaired mutant walked up to the wall, and started using his flame to burn a way through the wall.

"Maybe we should go back." Sally suggested. "It's not too late to do so."

"Sally, where's your sense of bloody adventure?" Betsy grinned. "We're going to help take down the bad guy! I find it so exciting!"

"I left my sense of adventure in my other pants." Sally admitted.

"Dude, this going to be totally cool." Jack grinned. "We're going to kick butt, dudes."

"...Are you okay, Ms. Harsaw?" Sally inquired. Eileen nodded nervously.

"Yeah, I am, a little bit." Eileen admitted. "I'm just so worried. I'm not a superhero."

"You're also worried about Fred, aren't you?" Betsy realized. Eileen blinked.

"Betsy!" Sally admonished.

"Dude..." Jack snickered, poking Rusty's shoulder. The redhaired navy brat looked up from his work,and turned to see the girls. "Check it out. They're totally gossiping." Rusty groaned at the blond Malibu animorph.

"Jack, I don't care." Rusty sighed. "Let 'em run their mouths. I'm doing something important here." He went back to his cutting. "Airheaded surfer bum..."

"What?" Betsy blinked.

"Betsy, you know better than to telepathically read someone's mind without permission." Sally admonished the purple-haired British telepath.

"What're you talking about?" Betsy blinked. "I didn't enter her mind. Her mind is screaming it out!" She pointed at Eileen, who was watching the battle with worry. "Look at the way she's staring out at that battle. She's obviously worried about him." The blonde mutant forcefield generator looked at the young woman. Eileen was indeed watching the battle. She had pulled her cape around herself and kept it close, as if she was trying to keep warm. Sally smiled and put her hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Miss Harsaw." Sally reassured. "Blob's been doing this stuff for years. He's invulnerable, so he won't get hurt." Eileen nodded.

"I know. But I still worry." The platinum blonde woman nodded.

"...you..." Sally blinked. "You...really do care about him, don't you?" Eileen nodded.

"The Blob's very nice. I've heard about his issues and the things he went through, and I find it so very sad."

"Yeah." Sally agreed. "I've met the Blob, and he's very nice. A good cook, too. He made a delicious cake for my birthday."

"Okay, Jack!" Rusty cut a large circle into the wall. "Bring it down!" Jack nodded and morphed into a gorilla. He then put his hands on the circle and pushed with all his might. With a roar, Jack forced a circular section of the wall to hit the ground.

"Alright!" Betsy grinned. "Nice job, Beast King!" She turned to Sally and Eileen. "Hey, you two! Time for the bonding is over! We got a job to do?"

"Anybody got a plan?" Rusty asked. "We can't just charge in there like a couple of lunatics!"

"Why not?" Betsy shrugged. "It'll drive Virus bloody mad."

"Uhm..." Eileen piped up. "I may have an idea..." Meanwhile, Lucas Xavier, the MPD-afflicted mutant known as Legion, was talking to someone he thought he'd never talk to again.

"Lu...Lucas?" Theresa blinked. "W...Where am I?"

"...How..." Lucas blinked. "Theresa...what's the last thing ye remember?"

"...Sauron...I remember...Sauron..." Theresa looked at her hands. "And now, I'm here...I feel strange...I don't feel right...cold...cold in places...like there's metal inside of me..."

_Virus said they were cyborgs._ Lucas remembered. _That means Theresa has mechanical parts in her. That's probably why she's saying she's cold in places. She must feel the parts...how can I tell her? How can I tell her that a year has passed since she died? How can I tell her she's now half-robot? And is she even alive..._

"Lucas...help me..." Theresa begged. "What's going on?"

"Ye're going tae be alright, Terry." Lucas reassured. "Ye just...went through some changes, that's all."

"Lucas...what's going on?" Theresa asked again. "What's with all the fighting?"

_Evidently, those nanites Virus used did a great job rebuilding Theresa._ Lucas deduced. _They did **too** good a job. They did a lot more than rebuild Theresa's body. They somehow brought Theresa back. Restored her to life. I can feel her in there. And if that's true, then that means..._ Lucas turned his head, and concentrated his telepathy on the other two cyborgs, Chamber and Wither.

"Lucas...what's wrong with me?" A confused Theresa wondered. "Why do I feel cold in places?"

"Hang on, Theresa." Lucas told her gently. "It's hard tae explain..." He scanned the cyborgs' minds with his telepathy. His eyes widened. "Oh my God..." He whispered. "They are alive...somehow...they're back...they're in those bodies..." He flew into the air with the aid of his telekinesis. "No!"

"Yah!" Bobby blasted Chamber with a blizzard, causing the former New Mutant to fly into the air. The cyborg smashed into the back of one of Virus's giant robots. The robot didn't feel it. Chamber flew through the air and he slammed into the ground at a hard angle. However, the nanites in Chamber's bloodstream were working on repairing his half-organic half-mechanical body. The English mutant slowly got up. Bobby slid towards him on an ice slide. Over one and, he formed a blade of ice, similar to Psylocke's energy blade. "I'm truly sorry I have to do this, Chamber. I hope you'll forgive me for this."

"NO!" A stream of flames erupted between Bobby and Chamber. The flames didn't harm the two mutants, but it did cause them to stumble backward in surprise.

"What?" Bobby looked up and saw Lucas floating down towards him and Chamber.

"Legion, have you gone crazy?!" Bobby yelled. "No wait, why am I asking that?"

"Don't kill him! They're alive! They're still alive in there!" Lucas exclaimed.

"...Okay, did you get a new voice in your head or something?" Bobby blinked.

"Drake, I am nae in the mood tae hear your jokes! They aren't that funny anyway!" Lucas grumbled.

"Oh, I dunno. Everyone else thinks I'm hilarious." Bobby mocked.

"Drake, the cyborgs! They're still alive!" Lucas argued.

"...Legion, you must have a weird definition of alive." Bobby pointed at the recovering Chamber. "They're nothing but zombies."

"I sensed them! I sensed their minds!" Lucas defended.

"They're zombies! They don't have any minds!" Bobby yelled. "Man, you are not only crazy, but you're also stupid!" In a flash of light, Lila and Elizabeth appeared.

"What's going on?" Lila blinked.

"You two pick the best times to argue." Elizabeth grumbled, crossing her arms. Lucas noticed Chamber getting up. He then noticed Wither aiming his cannon at the back of Husk. With a wave of his arm, Lucas telekinetically lifted up the cyberized ex-New Mutant,and slammed him into Chamber.

"Elizabeth! Theresa's alive!" Lucas exclaimed. "She was still in there! I don't know how, but she was alive! I helped bring her out!"

"What?" Lila blinked.

"Lucas..." Theresa, completely oblivious to the battle raging around her, walked up to the four. "What's going on?"

"Oh my God..." Lila gasped. "It can't be!"

"Oh mah Gawd..."Lizzie's jaw dropped. "...Terry...is that...is that you in there?"

"Lucas...how did you...?" Lila blinked.

"I did nothing!" Lucas told the dark-haired interstellar teleporter. "She just...stopped attacking and started talking. I have no clue how it happened." Bobby frowned.

"How do you know it's not some kind of trick, Lucas? Virus is tricky." Bobby warned.

"Ye don't believe me. No surprise. Look at her!" Lucas yelled.

"Yeah, I see it." Bobby nodded. "But I don't believe it. People don't come back from the dead!"

"Obviously, ye never heard the legend of the phoenix." Lucas grumbled.

"Does that look like a damn flaming bird to you?!" Bobby growled. "How do you know that the cyborg is not playing a trick?!"

"I'm a telepath, Iceman!" Lucas growled back. "I'd know if someone is lyin' tae me!"

"Lucas, there has been technology developed to block telepathy!" Bobby snapped. "And I have heard rumors that people are working on technology to give telepaths false signals! How do you know this isn't a trick that that zombie over there is trying to pull?"

"Bobby, are sure you disagree because you don't believe Theresa is alive?" Lila frowned. "Or are you just saying it to get Lucas's goat?"

"..." Bobby only blinked in response. Elizabeth walked up to Theresa.

"Terry...is that you in there?" Elizabeth blinked.

"...Elizabeth?" Theresa answered. "What's going on here? Why won't anyone tell me? And why do I feel cold in places?"

_**Next: The Return Part 7: Under Siege** The New Recruits face trouble in Virus's engine, and Lucas tries to free the cyborgs!_


	28. The Return Part 7: Under Siege

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "What the hell is an aluminum falcon?" - Palpatine, _Robot Chicken_**

Chapter 28: The Return, Part 7: Under Siege

**Inside Virus's engine**

Eileen Harsaw and the New Recruits were sneaking their way inside Virus's engine.

"Wow." Eileen marveled as she looked around. The walls and the ceiling were all covered with various panels, pipes, and lights. The floor resembled a regular metal walkway. "This looks almost like the inside of a Borg ship."

"Borg ship?" Rusty blinked.

"The Borg." Eileen explained. "From _Star Trek_. They're a race of alien cyborgs that travel around and transform people into half-robots like them." Betsy noticed a spot on the wall. It was black with green circuit lines on it. The electronic green lines were glowing softly.

"Wow." Betsy blinked.

"Don't touch it, Psylocke." Rusty warned. "Who knows what traps that sneaky psychopath has."

"Psylocke?" Eileen blinked.

"Codename." Sally explained. "We all have them during missions. I'm Skids, Jack's called Beast King, Rusty's called Firefist, and Betsy's called Psylocke."

"...Psylocke?" Eileen blinked.

"It's not that hard to explain." Betsy smirked. "Me powers are psionic in nature. Me telepathy allows me to unlock minds. Psy. Lock. Psylocke."

"Ah, I see." Eileen nodded. "Psylocke is a rather unusual codename."

"You know..." Betsy looked at Eileen, scratching her chin. "We should give you one too, Miss."

"But I'm not on the team." Eileen countered.

"And the adults will whup us good when they find out we're here." Rusty added.

"That is, dudes...if they find us out." Jack snickered.

"What can you do with your powers?" Betsy asked Eileen. The platinum blonde woman blinked.

"Well..." She scratched her head. "I can foul up electronics and superpowers with my electromagnetic abilities. Although I have done something else once."

"What?" Sally blinked.

"Well..." Eileen rubbed the back of her head nervously. "I once was running through a park, I was about sixteen at the time." **(1)**

"What happened?" Rusty blinked.

"Well, I was running in the park, and I was heading towards one of those public bathrooms. I was going to get a drink of water. I tripped, and for a moment, I thought I was going to bash my head against the wall, when suddenly, I felt strange. Like I was changing. And I went _through_ the wall."

"_Through_ the wall?!" Jack's jaw dropped.

"No different than Shadowcat." Rusty shrugged. "She can pass through stuff, too."

"I think it's because I manipulate energy." Eileen theorized. "When I fell, I felt myself _become_ energy."

"...Phantazia." Betsy nodded.

"What?" Eileen blinked.

"Phantazia. That can be your new codename." Betsy smiled.

"_Phantazia?_" Rusty repeated. "No offense, but that codename is stupid. It makes no sense!"

"Hear me out, Red." Betsy countered. "Eileen said she can pass through things, like a ghost. Well, another word for ghost is 'phantom'. Hence, Phantazia."

"You have got to be kidding me." Rusty grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Well..." Eileen smiled. "I kind of like it. Phantazia. It reminds me of that movie I loved as a girl."

"You mean _Fantasia?_" Jack realized.

"Uh-huh." Eileen nodded.

"Oh, I loved that movie! Especially the dancing hippos." Sally grinned.

"I liked the Sorcerer's Apprentice myself." Eileen told the blonde.

"Look, this is fantastic and all, but I might like to remind you all that we are inside a giant engine created by a psycho path, and we're here to find a way to blow the sucker straight to Hell?!" An impatient Rusty snapped.

"Dude, watch it! You're sending total bad vibes, man." Jack shook his head.

"Bah!" Rusty grumbled, trudging off. "You people can sit around and chit-chat all you want, but I am going forward!"

"...Hey wait for me!" Betsy jogged after him. "I want to kick some arse!" Jack chuckled.

"...Follow the crazy Brit." Jack chuckled as he walked after the two. Sally and Eileen watched the others go forward.

"...We'd better follow them." Eileen suggested. "I hope Fred's okay."

"Don't worry, Miss Harsaw, I mean, Phantazia." Sally smiled. "I'm sure he's just fine."

"Hey, what the hell?!" Rusty exclaimed. Several futuristic cannons burst out of the walls, ceiling and floor. The cannons quickly aimed themselves at the New Recruits.

"Oh, God!" Eileen gasped.

"Well, 'ello, me little duckies." An English-accented voice, mixed with electronic, cackled from unseen speakers. "Fancy seeing you lot here."

"Virus!" Jack gulped.

"Got it in one, me friend." Virus laughed. "Ah, I don't recognize any of you. Probably some new meat Freedom Force picked up."

"We're from Freedom Force alright, ya plonker!" Betsy yelled. "And we're going to shut you down! Get your arse down here!"

"Betsy...shut up. Please. Just for once, shut up." Rusty groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

**The desert**

"Ugh!" One of the robots grabbed Fred and started to squeeze him. "Keep trying, ya Robby-wannabe! Yer gonna need more than that to crush the Blob!" Meanwhile, Lucas had managed to hold back the cyborg Chamber and Wither thanks to his telekinesis and pyrokinesis.

"Come on...Stop trying tae fight..." The multiple personality-afflicted mutant grumbled as he forced the two altered mutants back with invisible walls of psychic force and flames. Wither and Chamber blasted at him with their disintegrator cannons and concussive energy beams. "Come on! Ye can't do this! Ye're in those robotic bodies somewhere!"

"This is ridiculous!" Bobby grumbled as he used an ice slide to evade one of Virus's giant robots.

"You got any better ideas, Bobby?" A huge-sized Elizabeth cracked as she traded blows with another one of Virus's giant robots. "Besides, if Theresa could re-emerge, the other two could as well."

"Yeah, Bobby." Lila agreed, blasting at one robot with her laser crossbow. "Have some faith."

"Yeah, sure." Bobby grunted, blasting at the robot with ice beams. _I still don't believe this. How did Theresa do that? How is that possible? Is this a trick? Or could the girls be right? Could Isimply not choose to believe it because of my problems with Lucas?_

"Let me try." Theresa offered, putting a hand on Lucas's shoulder.

"Are ye sure that's a good idea?" Lucas frowned.

"Maybe I can help them out." Theresa suggested. "Who did this tae us?"

"Virus. That lunatic that attacked Bayville a few years ago." **(2)**

"Why?" Theresa looked at her hands.

"...Remember when we helped Freedom Force stop Virus?" Lucas asked. Theresa nodded.

"Aye. I remember. I guess he did it to me as payback."

"That's right." Lucas nodded. Theresa narrowed her eyes.

"...He's mine."

"We all want shots at him." Lucas agreed. "Ye said ye can try tae help them. Get on it." Theresa nodded and slowly approached her fellow cyborgs. The blond Scot couldn't help but smile slightly. _Welcome back,Theresa. We missed ye._

"Alert! Unit Siryn approaching. Scans indicate unknown malfunction." Chamber warned his comrade.

"Boys, ye don't have tae do this." Theresa held up her hands in a disarming manner. "Virus mutilated us. He's the enemy. He just remade ye into his mindless zombies. But ye don't have tae be like this. I managed tae free meself. And so can ye."

"Destroy malfunctioning unit." Chamber and Wither turned their weapons on Siryn.

"Theresa! Watch out!" Lucas yelled.

"Fellas, stop!" Theresa begged. "I know ye are in there! Ye're nae slaves to that psychotic Virus! Look at what he did to us! He took us and made us in tae these monsters! None of us wanted this!" Paige ran up to Lucas.

"Legion, what is going on?!" The blonde Kentuckian epidermic metamorph demanded. She watched Theresa speak to the other two cyborgs. "What is up with those three? We should destroy them!"

"No." Lucas told the blonde sagely. "Theresa somehow returned. Maybe she can help the other two...I dunno." Paige blinked.

"You mean...Jono could be alive in there?" Paige blinked.

"Worth a try." Legion nodded. Theresa's talking seemed to have a slight effect on the other two cyborgs.

"De...stroy?" The two cyborgs wavered.

"Come on..." Theresa begged. "Remember..." The two cyborgs looked at each other. "Remember who ye were! Who ye are!"

"Who...we...are..." The cyborgs blinked.

"Yes!" Paige agreed with a yell. "Jono! Remember! Remember me!" The cyborg Chamber looked at Paige.

"P...P...Paige...?" Chamber blinked. "Paige?"

"X-Men." Wither blinked. "We...We...We X-men..."

"Paige...I...loved Paige..." Chamber muttered.

"It's working!" Theresa grinned.

"Paige..." Chamber and Wither twitched. "W-wh-...where are we?"

"What's...going on?" Kevin Ford blinked. He looked at his hands. "My hands...who did this to me?" He looked at Jono. "Jono...you look like the Terminator."

_**Next: The Return Part 8: Brawl For All**__ Our heroes continue the fight, with some help from some new old allies._

**(1) – Eileen said earlier in the story that she was fifteen when her powers first emerged.**

**(2) – In "Black Ice"**


	29. The Return Part 8: Brawl For All

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "Holy Matrix, Batman!" Me on the fight scenes in the _Charlie's Angels_ movie**

Chapter 29: The Return, Part 8: Brawl for All

**Inside Virus's complex**

"WAAAAAAAAAAH!" The New Recruits and the newly-codenamed Phantazia screamed. They were sliding along a hallway, getting blasted at. Luckily, the thing hat was causing their sliding was also the reason why they were still alive. Sally Blevins, the blonde Skids, had created a protective bubble around the mutants, protecting themselves from Virus's defenses.

"Like, I think I'm going to be sick..." Jack groaned.

"Well, don't puke on me!" Betsy warned.

"Oh God oh God oh God oh God..." Eileen whimpered.

"Somebody stop this thing!" Rusty yelled.

"Skids! Shut this thing off!" Betsy yelled.

"I can't!" Sally shook her head. "If I put this bubble down, we'll get blasted!"

"At least I won't be totally sick anymore..." Jack moaned.

"Do you even know where we're going?" Betsy asked no one in particular.

"We didn't exactly get a map, Your Majesty." Rusty grumbled.

"We have to get to the power source!" Betsy suggested. "Maybe if we can shut this thing down, we can shut Virus down!"

"But I don't know anything about this place!" Sally exclaimed. "I can steer this bubble, but I don't know where to go!"

"And it's not like you can read technology with your telepathy." Rusty reminded.

"At least I'm contributing ideas, Yank!" Betsy snapped.

"Uh oh..." Sally blinked.

"What?" Jack wondered.

"You guys..." Sally pointed ahead. The New Recruits looked in the direction that the blonde pointed.

"Uh oh..." They mumbled in chorus. "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

**The desert**

"What...happened to us?" Kevin blinked. His voice had an electronic undertone to it.

"No time tae explain!" Legion told him. "Virus is at it again!"

"Virus did this tae us!" Theresa explained. "He turned us into these things!" Jono's reaction showed the most horrified. He felt his jaw...and his eyes widened.

"What..." He then realized that he could talk again! He hadn't been able to talk since his powers emerged. But something was wrong. His voice sounded like he was a robot. "Me voice..." His eyes widened. Paige looked at him with sympathy.

"Oh, Jono..." The blonde Kentuckian looked at her former teammate. "What has he done to you?" Jono felt his jaw.

"Me...voice...me face..." Jono's eyes widened. A tear came down his half-flesh half-metal cheek. "Me God..."

"Virus is going to get his for this." Paige gritted her teeth. "I swear it..."

"Quit talking about it and make it happen!" Bobby Drake snapped, blasting at a robot with an ice beam.

"Yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi!" Terrell exclaimed as he slid and zipped around various projectile and energy attacks.

"Why...?" Jono looked at his hands.

"Because Virus is a psychopath." Paige scowled. "He's a twisted little jerk who thinks all life is merely his little plaything."

"He made me this way..." Jono shook with rage. "He did this to me..." His eyes and mouth started to glow. "He dug me up...mutilated me...made me a monster..." The English cyborg mutant whipped his head and glared at one of the giant robots Virus made. He didn't see Storm and Jean "He didn't even allow me to REST!" With a roar, he fired powerful beams of energy from his mouth and his eyes.

"Out of the way!" Storm yelled as she noticed the beams flying towards herself and Jean. The two mutants flew out of the way of the beams as they slammed into one of the robots.

"Hmmm..." Virus frowned to himself from inside his complex. "Evidently, somehow me little cyber-zombies now remember who they are." The arrogant Englishman shrugged. "No matter. I'll destroy them along with those blasted organics. I didn't quite expect me little experiment to succeed...well, not in this way..." He then noticed something on a monitor. "Wait a tic...Hello..."

**Inside Virus's complex**

"WAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The New Recruits screamed as they fell down a hole, still covered by a force field bubble from Sally/Skids. The young mutants then landed on hard metallic ground. "OOF!"

"Wh-where are we?" Eileen blinked.

"Look!" Betsy indicated.

"Whoa..." Jack gaped. The New Recruits found themselves staring at a large construct that looked like an upgraded version of the power source of the Death Star from _Star Wars_. A large-diametered column of metal was in the center of the room. There was a gap in the center of the column, where there was a pulsing ball of red energy. A lattice of metal covered the ball of energy, connecting the two halves of the column. The ball of red energy shot several streams of red lightning into energy collectors at eight spots on the walls, all equally spaced apart. The room was lit by a ring of lights positioned where the walls met the ceiling. The floor was black,

"This looks like something from _Star Wars._" Rusty whistled.

"Incredible..." Betsy gasped.

"Wow..." Eileen blinked up at the red sphere of light. "What kind of power source is that? It must be incredibly powerful if it can satisfy the energy needs of this place."

"I'm glad you like it. Too bad you won't get to live to tell anyone else about it." A familiar English-accented voice cackled.

"What was-?" The New Recruits looked around.

"Over here, heh heh heh." The New Recruits turned around and saw a part of the floor rise, similar to the T-1000 from _The Terminator._ The lump slowly thinned and formed human-like features.

"Oh-oh-oh my G-G-God..." Eileen stammered, stepping back a bit.

"'Ello, lads and lasses..." The Phalanx Virus smirked. "Like me complex? I hope you do, because it'll be the last place you ever see."

"Virus, I presume?" Betsy smirked. She got into a battle stance, and activated her psychic knife. Virus raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I've never seen an organic so willing to get her pretty little arse killed. And it's appropriate that it's a fellow Brit." Virus chuckled.

"Ham-ma-ma-ma-ma..." A frightened Eileen stammered.

"You know, I'm insulted." Virus frowned, crossing his arms. "You know, I managed to take on the original Freedom Force team, and they send me the...what is the term Yanks use? Ah yes, scrub team."

"We're no damn scrub team, Virus!" Rusty growled, fists blazing. "We're Freedom Force!"

"So you say." Virus shrugged. "Aw well. Time to die." He formed his arms, shoulders, and chest, into several menacing-looking laser cannons. Sprouting from his back was an upward-pointing missile launcher.

**Outside**

"_WAAAAAAAAAAAAH!_" Theresa Rourke's mouth opened wide, and her sonic cannon revealed itself. She fired a mighty sonic beam at one of Virus's giant robots, hitting it right upside the head. "YE TWISTED PSYCHOTIC MONSTER! YE MADE ME INTAE THIS! INTAE SOME TWISTED CHILD OF FLESH AND METAL!"

"You just couldn't let us rest, could you?" Kevin snarled, firing his disintegration cannons at the robots. "You just couldn't let us rest!"

"Why us, Virus?! WHY US?!" Chamber screamed, firing concussive blasts from his mouth and eyes.

"Wow, those guys are ticked." Thunderbird winced as he got up after dodging a missile blast.

"They died at the hands of a mutant pterodactyl-man, then they find themselves alive as cyborgs, and on top of that, they were meant to be pawns in an evil scheme, and they find out that a year has passed. You'd be ticked off too, pal." Velocity remarked as he helped the Apache powerhouse to his feet.

"I knew Virus was a nut, but to bring back people from the dead?" Ace winced as he blasted at the robots.

"He didn't intend this." Bobby shook his head. "Virus didn't want to bring them back to life. They were only meant to be mindless organic machines. Nothing more. Something very strange happened. I don't think we can ever find a way to truly explain it. Somehow, the nanites brought them back."

"Whoa." Ace blinked. "Sounds like those nanite things are a lot better than we thought."

"I doubt this was what the good Doctor Winter had in mind when he first invented these robots." Karma frowned. "He created them to heal wounds, not restore the dead! Although I think that little property is thanks to Virus's modifications." The Vietnamese mutant started to worry. _Where does that leave the cyborgs? What do we do with them?_

**Inside Virus's complex**

"_HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!_" Virus laughed as he fired laser beams and missiles from his cannons. "Run, you little rats! Run!" He cackled madly.

"Ai-yagh! Not cool! Not cool!" Jack screamed, leaping about as a monkey.

"Ungh!" Rusty rolled out of the way of a laser blast. "Nice try, psycho! Time for you to feel the heat!" The redhaired Navy brat fired a stream of flames at the Virus.

"Nice try to you, plonker!" Virus threw up a forcefield to block Rusty's flames.

"Now, Jack!" Rusty yelled.

"Got it!" Jack morphed into a lion and leaped on Virus from behind.

"Agh! Get off!" Virus screamed. Meanwhile, Sally and Eileen were trying to examine the column.

"It-it-it l-l-looks like a power source." Eileen noted. "Maybe we can find a way to shut it down from here."

"I don't know. There's no control panels or anything like that here." Sally frowned. "We may have to rip open a panel."

"But is there one?" Eileen blinked.

"WAH!" Jack was sent flying by Virus, only to land right next to Eileen and Sally in his human form. "Oh..."

"Jack!" Sally exclaimed.

"I think we're in trouble." Eileen winced.

_**Next: The Return, Part 9: War with a Virus** The New Recruits versus Virus!_


	30. The Return Part 9: War With A Virus

**Viral Vengeance**

**Disclaimer: "Bananas are good." - The Ninth Doctor, _Doctor Who_**

Chapter 30: The Return, Part 9: War With a Virus

**Inside the complex**

"Ungh! Ah!" Betsy flipped, ducked, and dodged as she tried not to get blasted by Virus.

"Hold still, you stupid bird!" Virus roared as he tried to blast her with his cannons. "Agh!" Virus snarled as he was besieged by fireballs.

"Back off, ya psychotic son of a-!" Rusty roared, pitching flames as fast as he could.

"Thanks!" Betsy waved. She flipped close towards Virus, and slashed her psychic knife at him. "Me knife is made of psionic energy, Virus. If I want it to, I can use it to do mental or physical damage. And in this case, I want to use it to break your toys!" She sliced off a shoulder-mounted cannon, making Virus scream.

"Yeah! Put that psycho out of his misery, Betts!" Rusty yelled in encouragement. The redheaded pyrokinetic then felt something on his leg. He looked down and saw Jack as a boa constrictor slithering towards him. He had recovered from his little flight courtesy of Virus, and he had a plan.

"Rusty! Throw me on him! I'll try to choke him out, dude." Jack told the Navy brat.

"You got it, Surfer boy." Rusty picked up his teammate. "Betsy, back off!" He yelled as he pitched the snake.

"Oh, you got it!" Betsy flipped away from the mad English mutant. Virus turned around and saw the snake Jack wrap itself around its throat.

"Gahck!" Virus choked as he tried to pull Jack off him.

"You got him, Jack!" Rusty whooped. Meanwhile, Eileen and Sally were trying desperately to find a way to shut down Virus's complex.

"Aw, man..." Sally groaned as she felt around the column. "No way to shut it off..." She looked at Eileen. "Maybe..."

"Uh, what?" Eileen blinked.

"...what are your powers?" Sally wondered. She briefly turned her head and saw Virus flailing almost comically, trying to force Jack off him.

"I-I-I can manipulate electromagnetic energy." Eileen told the blonde. "Didn't I tell you that already? It sometimes causes superpowers to screw up. Same with electronic devices."

"Maybe you can use this to screw up Virus's gadget." Sally suggested, pointing up at the power core. The platinum blonde woman blinked up at the power core.

"I don't know..." Eileen blinked. "Th-th-the most complex device I ever managed to mess up was an old server. This is way ahead of anything I've ever seen. You have to give credit to Virus. He's a genius. This stuff is way ahead of modern technology." Virus smirked at the two girls.

"GAAAAAHHHHH!!" Virus started miming getting choked by Jack.

"I got 'im! I got 'im!" Jack whooped.

"I don't think so, mate." Virus smirked. He literally flowed out of Jack's iron grip.

"Oh my God..." Rusty's eyes widened when he realized where the mad English mutant was heading. "GIRLS! WATCH OUT! HE'S COMING FOR YOU!"

"What?!" Betsy and Eileen turned around.

"Hello, birds!" An evilly-grinning Virus lunged at the girls.

"Bloody-!" Betsy's eyes widened.

"EEEEEEEEK!"Eileen screamed. She instinctively reached towards Virus. All of a sudden, her eyes started to glow white. Then, out of nowhere, a blast of white energy erupted from her hands and hit Virus.

"HARRRRRRR!" The mad Englishman screamed in rage, but mostly, in intense pain. "Nuhhhhh-huh-huh-huh..." Virus shuddered and struggled to move. He found himself locked in place. "Grrrr...what-uh...the pain...what'd you do?! What'd you do to me, you bitch?!"

"I-I-I..." Eileen stammered, looking at her hands. "I don't know."

"Wait..." Betsy narrowed her eyes. "Didn't you say that your powers allowed to manipulate electromagnetism?"

"Yeah." Eileen blinked.

"Duh!" Betsy grinned. "You must've hit him with a big EMP pulse."

"Of course." Eileen realized. "I must've shorted him out."

"Virus must be partially electronic." Rusty noticed.

"Uh..." Jack held his head as he got up in his human form. "I thought I had him, dude. Seriously."

"Relax, man. You'll be fine." Rusty rolled his eyes.

"You...grrrr...do RealiZE that I WiLL find a WAY to reBOOT MeSelf." A still-frozen Virus snarled. "AnD then I WILL kIlL yOu AlL."

"Keep talking, you clown." Rusty smirked. "It'll only make you look even more pathetic."

**The desert**

Outside, the brawl with the giant robots continued. And the heroic members of the X-Men, Freedom Force, and Nightshift found themselves having some help.

"_EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!_" A furious Siryn strafed the robots, firing her sonic scream. "_EEEE!_ VIRUS! _EEEEEE!_ GET OUT HERE AND FACE US, YE MONSTER! YE BASTARD! COME OUTTA YER LITTLE CITADEL AND FACE US!"

"YEAH!" Wither agreed with a roar, firing his disintegration cannons at the giant robots. "COME GET SOME, YOU LUNATIC!" Chamber only roared as he blasted at the robots with help from his eye beams and mouth beam. Some of the heroes were completely shocked by the cyborg's viciousness.

"Wow." Thunderbird's jaw dropped.

"Oh, yeah." Velocity agreed.

"Simply wow, man." The Apache mutant shook his head.

"Oh, yeah." Velocity nodded.

"Man, those three are pissed." A very impressed John Proudstar whistled.

"Well yeah, they would be." Terrell nodded. "First, they died at the hands of an insane pterodactyl-man, then they wake up to find out that not only a year has passed, but a psychopath dug them up and used their bodies to create cybernetic soldiers. I would be really cheesed off, too."

"I feel so bad for them." Shan shook her head with a frown. "What happened to them was so...unnatural. This is not supposed to happen to them. They should've been allowed to rest in peace."

"Hey, why have you three stopped fighting?" Elizabeth Guthrie, Amazon, inquired as she shrunk down to her normal height.

"We're thinking." Shan answered. "What do we do with them?"

"With who?" Elizabeth blinked.

"The cyborgs." John answered. "What do we do with 'em? If we beat Virus, what do we do with the cyborgs?"

"Well, that's easy." Lizzie shrugged. "Ah'm sure Theresa will want to come home with Nightshift. We missed her."

"Elizabeth, I know this is not to going to be easy to say..." Shan sighed. "But, Theresa may not have that choice."

"Wha...what do you mean?" Lizzie blinked, jaw agape.

"Lizzie, after this, Theresa might become a target." Shan sighed. "Some bad folks might want her and the other cyborgs. They're unique now."

"Like who?" Lizzie demanded.

"Like the FoH, for one." Shan explained. "They would want to use the nanites in the cyborgs' bodies as a weapon against mutants. And considering the cyborgs are mutants, they wouldn't care if they were killed in the process."

"I don't like it any more than you do, girl." Terrell sighed. He knew where this was going.

"We may be forced to put them in SHIELD protective custody." Shan told Elizabeth.

"No..." Lizzie shook her head. "You guys can't do that! They didn't do anything wrong! They don't deserve that!"

"You act like we want this, blondie. We don't." John answered with a scowl. "But because of what they are, it could be dangerous for them to run around free."

"Why?!" Lizzie demanded. "Because of them was a Nightshift member?"

_I always saw Lucas as the suspicious one, heh heh._ Shan shook her head. "No, Lizzie. Of course not. In fact, I convinced Nick Fury that you guys aren't a threat to anyone."

"We're just worried that somebody would want to hurt the cyborgs." Terrell explained. Lizzie sighed.

"Ah know. Ah know you guys are just wanting to help. Ah just hope you guys consider what they want." Lizzie looked at Shan. "Ah've known Terry for a while, and she's one of mah best friends. She's already been through enough. Look at her. She doesn't need more of this garbage in her life."

"I don't want to make things worse for her, Liz." Shan nodded in agreement. "Believe me, I don't."

"How can we?" John frowned, looking up at a furiously flying Theresa. "She's already been murdered and desecrated. What worse can she go through?"

"She could be an experiment, John!" The Vietnamese woman glared at the Apache powerhouse.

"Uh, Shan? Virus used her as one already!" John reminded, glaring back.

"Hey, knock it off, you two!" Terrell moved to separate them. "Let's just worry about stopping Virus for now."

"You're right, Terrell." Shan nodded. "We'll discuss what to do with the cyborgs later." The Vietnamese mind-controller unfurled her staff. "Velocity, Thunderbird, Amazon...let's give 'em hell."

"Alright!" John smirked, pounding his fist into his palm.

"Let's go!" Terrell zipped into the battle.

"Time to save the Earth, Ah suppose." Liz chuckled.

_**Next: The Return, Part 10: The End** Freedom Force, the X-Men, and Nightshift fight on, and the New Recruits take on Virus himself!_


End file.
